India on Tuesday said facing a “quality” Pakistan side in Colombo will be “a challenge,” after authorities in Islamabad instructed the national team to play the scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match on February 15.
The federal government late Monday ended a week-long stand-off by rescinding its order for the cricket team to boycott the clash.
“It’s great that the game is back on, we kind of never changed the preparation,” said India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
India will face a second Group A match against Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi before flying to Sri Lanka.
It means a quick turnaround for Sunday’s match, the biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket.
“It’s going to be a challenge going to Colombo, where Pakistan have been for the last two weeks,” added Ten Doeschate.
“We are delighted to have another chance to play against a quality side in the first phase of the tournament. “We are fully focused on just bringing our best game to that fixture.”
Pakistan warmed up for the clash in perfect fashion with a second win of the tournament in Colombo on Tuesday, by 32 runs against the USA.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan, who top scored with 73, said: “The match is on and we are in a confident mood.”
The last time the teams met, at last year’s T20 Asian Cup, India beat Pakistan three times on their way to lifting the trophy in Dubai.
“This time it will be different, and we will give a strong performance,” said Farhan. “We lost all three matches, including the final to India in the Asia Cup, but they were not one-sided.”
Pakistan’s decision to go ahead with the match was hailed on Tuesday as an outbreak of “good sense” and “good for cricket”.
A frantic weekend of negotiations saw International Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chiefs fly to Lahore on Sunday for talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The governments of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka both wrote to the Islamabad government on Monday, urging it to change its stance and allow the game to go ahead.
‘Spirit of cricket’
After “multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15”, the Islamabad government said on its official X account late Monday night.
The decision had been taken with the aim of “protecting the spirit of cricket”, it added.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal told AFP on Tuesday that it was “good for cricket”. “We want strong teams to play so that the charm of the World Cup is not lost,” he added.
Sri Lanka, who will host the match, which generates multi-millions of dollars in advertising, broadcast rights, sponsorship and tourism, also praised the decision.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a social media post, thanked Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “ensuring the game we all love goes on”.
Veteran Indian journalist Pradeep Magazine told AFP, “good sense has prevailed on all sides”. Financial considerations would have been taken into account, he added.
“Everyone realised that losing the revenue from an India-Pakistan match would have been a loss-loss situation for all ICC member nations.”
Acrimonious build-up
The 20-team tournament has been overshadowed by an acrimonious political build-up. Bangladesh, who refused to play in India citing security concerns, were replaced by Scotland.
As a protest, Islamabad ordered the national team not to face co-hosts India in the Group A fixture.
Pakistan, who edged out the Netherlands in the tournament opener on Saturday, would have conceded two points if they had forfeited the match.
Pakistan will play all their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as part of an ICC deal that ensures the two nations only meet on neutral territory.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said on Friday, before their opening win against the USA, that his team would travel to Colombo for the clash, whether the game was on or not.
“We haven’t said no to playing them,” Suryakumar said. “Our flights are booked, and we are going to Colombo.”
