All eyes will be on Abhishek Sharma, who has built a reputation as one of the most explosive batters in recent times but has yet to make a major impact in this tournament.
From the Super 8 format to the remaining Group fixtures, here's all you need to know about the teams that have qualified for the next round of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
India hammered Pakistan by 61 runs to enter the Super 8 of ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Axar Patel said the win came from clear roles, calm minds and smart spin plans.
Ishan Kishan on Sunday said his improved play on the off-side was behind his match winning effort against arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. Kishan's 77 off 40 balls on a tough pitch made the difference as India closed out a comfortable 61-run over the opposition. It seemed has batting on a different surface. Kishan, who has shown sizzling since his India comeback, was pleased with his performance in a 'special' game. He usually gets plenty of runs on the leg side but on Sunday his off side play was effective too. "I think the wicket wasn't that easy in the beginning. You just have to believe and focus on your strength. Wanted to make them run as much as possible to my side. I worked a lot on my off-side play. "I was just trying to keep it simple. I had that in mind that we need to put 160-170 runs and it will be a good total for us. India versus Pakistan is always a special game not only for us but for our country as well. "Winning this game against Pakistan will give us
Brief scores: India 175/7 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 77; Saim Ayub 3/25). Pakistan all out 114 in 18 overs (Usman Khan 44; Jasprit Bumrah 2/17, Axar Patel 2/19, Varun Chakaravarthy 2/17).
India vs Pakistan, Colombo weather live updates: Rain continues to stay away from the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
IND vs PAK HIGHLIGHTS: India bundle out Pakistan at 114 as the Men in Blue extend their lead in T20 World Cup to 8-1.
The latest episode follows three similar occasions during the Asia Cup 2025, where Suryakumar had refrained from engaging in the customary handshake with his Pakistan counterpart
India hold a slight edge, and pundits back them, but as Sourav Ganguly warns, in an India-Pak clash one explosive partnership can change everything. Nothing is certain in cricket
India posted a competitive 175 for 7 against Pakistan in their ICC T20 World Cup clash in Colombo today. Check out how to watch IND vs PAK match live across the globe here
The return of Abhishek to India's playing 11 was confirmed by captain Suryakumar Yadav on the eve of the India vs Pakistan encounter.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha had the same approach to this question as he too remained non committal on the subject.
India enter the contest with an impressive record at the R Premadasa Stadium, having won 11 of their 15 T20Is at the venue - the best win percentage by any team
According to media reports, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav will maintain India's status quo and is unlikely to offer a handshake to Pakistan captain Salman Agha during the toss
Agha rejected suggestions that Tariq is Pakistan's sole match-winner heading into the high-profile encounter at the R Premadasa Stadium.
Showers forecast on Saturday could disrupt preparations, with India scheduled to train at the venue. Rain may affect their final practice session ahead of the match.
Abhishek Sharma has recovered in time to feature against Pakistan and is set to replace Sanju Samson.
During an appearance on a Pakistani television show, Mohammad Amir reportedly described Abhishek Sharma as a slogger, questioning the Indian batter's style of play.
Despite the growing speculation and controversy surrounding the matter, Agha emphasized that both teams should prioritize the spirit of the game above all else.
Spin great R Ashwin has a simple suggestion for Indian batters as they gear up to deal with the unique side-arm action of Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq come Sunday -- just move away when he pauses before delivering the ball. The 30-year-old Tariq, whose stop and pause action has created quite a stir, has played four T20 Internationals and taken 11 wickets at an astonishing economy rate of less than six runs per over. He could play a decisive role in Sunday's T20 World Cup clash between the bitter foes on a slow Premadasa track. "If he stops before delivering the ball, the batsman has the right to move away. He can say that 'I thought he is stopping'. That will be an interesting case and a huge headache for the umpire," Ashwin said on his Youtube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'. "If I was there I would have done it. One should do everything to win a game within rules. I would simply say I don't know when he will release the ball and I would step away. If I move away, it is the umpire's ...