‘Our Flight Is Booked, We’re Going’: Suryakumar on India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Clash

With uncertainty continuing to surround the high-profile India–Pakistan fixture at the T20 World Cup 2026, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his team will travel to Colombo as scheduled, irrespective of whether the match eventually takes place.

“Our mindset is pretty clear,” Suryakumar said at the captains’ media briefing in Mumbai on Thursday. “We did not refuse to play them. The refusal came from them. The ICC organised the fixture, and the BCCI and the Indian government decided to play at a neutral venue in coordination with the ICC. Our flight to Colombo is booked, so we are going. We’ll see what happens later.”

The India–Pakistan match has been clouded by political tensions, with Pakistan indicating reluctance to play the fixture. Suryakumar’s comments mark the first formal response from the Indian camp on the issue.

Defending champions India begin their T20 World Cup campaign on the opening day, February 7, against the USA in Mumbai. They enter the tournament as strong favourites, having dominated the format throughout the current World Cup cycle. That form was underlined earlier this week when India beat South Africa in a warm-up match in Navi Mumbai.

The team’s strong performances have allowed Suryakumar to strike a relaxed and light-hearted tone during media interactions. Asked about the dressing-room atmosphere surrounding the Pakistan game, he said the plan was straightforward.

“The discussion in the team is ekdum clear,” he said. “First we play the match on February 7, then we head to Delhi [for the Namibia game on February 12], and then we travel to Colombo.”

Suryakumar’s remarks come a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his government had taken a “considered stance” on boycotting the India match, while adding that it did not want politics to interfere with sport.

This is the second time in six months that Suryakumar has been forced to address uncertainty around India–Pakistan fixtures, following last year’s Asia Cup controversy. During that tournament, the Indian team was instructed by the BCCI not to shake hands with Pakistan players, acting on directions from the Indian government. India also declined to receive the Asia Cup trophy from ACC president and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who in turn did not hand it over after the final.

Suryakumar stressed that the current situation was beyond the team’s control.

“Their decision is not in my control,” he said. “If we are told we have to play on the 15th, we will be there. We played the Asia Cup, we played them three times, we played good cricket and we won. If we get the opportunity again in Colombo, we will definitely play our game.”

He also acknowledged the complexity of the situation for Pakistan. “I’m sure they must be working something out. It’s not an easy call for them either. But as long as we’re told and the fixtures are ready, we will go ahead and play.”