India and Pakistan on Sunday, 15 February at Colombo’s R. They are set to resume their rivalry in a high-stakes Group A encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Premadasa Stadium. This match will be important for both sides as they look to secure top spot in the group and build momentum for the Super 8 stage.
Defending champions India defeated USA and Namibia in their last two matches. They registered a 93-run win over Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on 12 February. Pakistan avoided defeat against the Netherlands with a convincing win over the United States in Colombo.
This article provides details on the probable playing XIs of India and Pakistan for this crucial encounter, team selection, tactical changes and key players to watch out for in the biggest game of the tournament.
India vs Pakistan Playing XI:
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Indian team full of confidence. They have their full strength squad available, the medical team has cleared all the key players for this match. Abhishek Sharma, who did not play in the match against Namibia, is likely to return in the match against Pakistan.
Openers: Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan
It is expected that the Men in Blue will field Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan at the top of the order. Abhishek could provide India with explosive starts, while Kishan will don the gloves and provide left-arm stability against Pakistan’s new-ball attack.
Abhishek was out on a golden duck during the match against USA. However, Kishan has scored 81 runs in two matches at an average of 40.50 and an impressive strike rate of 202.50. He scored 61 runs in 24 balls with the help of six fours and five sixes against Namibia.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dubey, Akshar Patel.
With 3,114 T20I runs, Suryakumar Yadav remains one of the most dangerous batsmen in this format. It is expected that Tilak Verma will play the anchoring role in the middle overs and rotate the strike.
Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey provide fast bowling all-rounder options. The performance of Pandya, Dubey and Rinku Singh will be crucial for the team to finish strongly with the bat. Axar Patel provides control with his left-arm spin, which will be important on the turning Colombo track.
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty
Jasprit Bumrah will lead the bowling attack. Given Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery element and recent success in subcontinent conditions, he is expected to play as a specialist spinner ahead of Kuldeep Yadav. Arshdeep Singh will partner with Bumrah to add variety to the left-handed attack.
Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Varun Chakraborty, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
Pakistan Playing XI vs India:
Pakistan will go into this competition with a point to prove against their arch-rivals. Although they have the talent to beat any team, their consistency remains the biggest question.
Openers: Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan
Saim Ayub brings flair and unconventional strokeplay, while Sahibzada Farhan provides a more measured approach. The pair will look to negotiate the first four overs against Jasprit Bumrah without losing early wickets.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Babar Azam, Salman Ali Aga (captain), Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf.
Babar Azam is expected to bat at number four in the middle order. Captain Salman Ali Aga provides leadership and stability, while Usman Khan is the designated finisher.
The all-rounder pair of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz will be Pakistan’s biggest asset on this surface. Shadab’s leg-spin and Nawaz’s accurate left-arm orthodox bowling have been designed to slow down India’s scoring rate during the middle overs.
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Pakistan are likely to field two specialist spinners along with Shaheen Afridi. Abrar Ahmed brings the traditional leg-spin secrets, but the real X-factor is Usman Tariq. Tariq has troubled the batsmen with his unique action and Indian batsmen have not faced him before, which gives Pakistan an advantage.
Probable XI: Saeem Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Aga (captain), Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq.
