India captain Suryakumar Yadav had a cheeky one-liner after the T20 World Cup 2026 group draw paired India with Pakistan once more. The neighbours will clash in a high-voltage Group A fixture at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on February 15, a match that always draws global attention. Suryakumar — fresh from India’s Asia Cup 2025 run — smiled as he referenced the recent meetings and said the squad is relishing another big occasion.
“We played them recently during the Asia Cup, and we had a good time. Everything was completely focused on cricket, nothing else as you must have seen,” Suryakumar said, stressing that the team wants the focus to remain on the contest rather than off-field chatter. He added, “I’m sure it will be a good game. Boys are always excited to play Pakistan,” a line sure to headline the pre-match build-up.
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The Asia Cup storyline still lingers: India beat Pakistan in three meetings there, but an odd diplomatic footnote remains — the Asia Cup trophy has not been returned. Reports say PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi left with the trophy after the tournament. The BCCI has raised the matter with Pakistan, but no formal resolution has surfaced, leaving a small diplomatic shadow over otherwise sporting moments.
#WATCH | Mumbai: “Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Australia” says Indian Captain Suryakumar Yadav on being asked which is that one team he wants to play the ICC T20 World Cup Final match against pic.twitter.com/OP4UuRiAPn
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2025
Asked who he’d like to face in a hypothetical World Cup final, Suryakumar was quick: “Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.” India women’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur backed that sentiment, noting how wins over Australia linger in a player’s memory.
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Group A for the T20 World Cup 2026 reads: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan. India’s group fixtures are: Feb 7 v USA (Mumbai), Feb 12 v Namibia (New Delhi), Feb 15 v Pakistan (Colombo) and Feb 18 v Netherlands (Ahmedabad). The India–Pakistan meeting on February 15 is expected to dominate global viewership and could be decisive in shaping which teams advance to the Super Eight.
T20 World Cup 2026 Groups
- Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan
- Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman
- Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal
- Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE
