T20 World Cup: History favours India against an unpredictable Pakistan unit

In warm Colombo, the cricketing ice between India and Pakistan will briefly thaw on Sunday (February 15, 2026) night. The prelude to this ICC T20 World Cup Group A match has been about theatrics and subcontinental angst, before Pakistan decided to finally play against its neighbour.

While sport and politics inexplicably mix, this amalgamation is at an extreme level in contests involving India and Pakistan. Hopefully, the leap across the Palk Strait and into Sri Lanka, will soften the political edges even if sporting tension is high.

There is also the subtext of weather playing a part as rains are expected to swirl in from the Bay of Bengal. Hopefully, the moist intrusion will be minor at the R. Premadasa Stadium, as the most hyped game of the championship awaits its moment under lights.

History might suggest an overwhelming Indian dominance in these jousts, yet Pakistan remains a unit that can be either stunning or sluggish within the blink of an eye. The surface here, a touch abrasive and perhaps biased towards twirly men offering spin, might add a twist to the old template of Indian batters against Pakistani seamers.

So far, pacer Shaheen Afridi has led an attack that overwhelmingly featured spinners in the previous encounters, especially with five turning up in the clash against the USA. Stationed in neutral Sri Lanka, Pakistan has played both its games at the Sinhalese Sports Club, and a shift to the Premadasa Stadium may not cause any major changes in the playing XI.

Like its rival, India too steps in with two victories under its belt. Opener Abhishek Sharma, after missing the fixture at Delhi, could be back. Meanwhile, the other batters have not entirely fired together.

Against the USA, skipper Suryakumar Yadav did the rescue act, and against Namibia, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya shone while others had their starts and then lost their wickets in clusters. India may be tempted to field an extra spinner, too, with perhaps Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik primarily constituting the pace component.

Three decades ago, a joint India-Pakistan team played a game in Colombo against a Sri Lankan XI. It was an act of solidarity to bolster confidence in the Emerald Isle as the civil war’s repercussions forced Australia and the West Indies to stay away during the 1996 World Cup. Much has changed since then, while another India-Pakistan encounter looms ahead.