IND Vs PAK Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: Bumrah, Dube Mark Run Ups; Hanumankind Performs 'Big Dawgs

Pakistan win the toss and opted to bowl first.

"We want to bowl first. It looks a bit tacky, so we feel it will assist the bowlers for the first few overs so we want to use that. We are relaxed in our group and excited for this challenge. Bigger ground than SSC and the pitch is slower than SSC. Same team for us." Salman Agha said.

Big presence in the house. Rohit Sharma has arrived in Colombo and is already in the dugout, greeting Suryakumar Yadav with a warm hug. The World Cup-winning skipper turned ambassador adds serious aura around the group, and you’d imagine a few words from him before start time wouldn’t hurt either.

India are leaving nothing to chance. At training, Suryakumar Yadav turned into a stand-in for Usman Tariq, recreating that stop-start action so the batters could get a feel for it. Abhishek Sharma had a crack in the nets, and the message from the skipper was clear, tricky question or not, you still attempt it. Preparation mode: fully on.

Star rapper Hanumankind is currently performing at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo ahead of the India vs Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match.

Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube have marked their run ups. It can be the indicator that Arshdeep Singh is not playing and Kuldeep Yadav will replace him in the playing XI. In that case, Shivam Dube will be needed to bowl.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav will not indulge in the customary handshake with his Pakistan counterpart Salman Ali Agha during toss of their T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday, maintaining the status quo since the Asia Cup in Dubai last year. "The No handshake Policy will continue," a BCCI official in Colombo confirmed to PTI requesting anonymity.

So far so good in terms of the weather. Rain has not arrived and the day has been all dry. Dark clouds were covering the sky momentarily, but it has cleared up since then and now only patchy clouds can be spotted. Floodlights are on to provide better visibility.

The Indian players are here at the R. Premadasa Stadium. They will soon start their practice and warm up for the much-awatied clash.

Former India skipper and 2024 T20 World Cup winning captain Rohit Sharma was spotted with his wife, Ritika Sajdeh, at the Mumbai airport. Many fans have speculated that the star cricketer was leaving for Colombo for the IND vs PAK match.

Not a great sign by the weather, it's adding its own subplot in Colombo. Dark clouds hang over Premadasa and the lights are already on, though the relief is that no rain has fallen since last night. Still, with the skies staying stubbornly grey, everyone is glancing upward as much as toward the middle.

Buckle up, the night is loaded with mouth-watering duels. Imagine Ishan Kishan staring down Shaheen Afridi with the new ball swinging, or Abhishek Sharma trying to take him on in the powerplay. At the other end, Sahibzada Farhan versus Jasprit Bumrah promises pure theatre, while Babar Azam squaring up against Arshdeep could decide the tempo of the chase.

Check our exciting full player battles article.

The last time India and Pakistan met at the R Premadasa Stadium in a T20 World Cup was back in 2012. Pakistan, batting first, were bowled out for 128 in 19.4 overs. India made light work of the chase, getting home in 17 overs thanks largely to Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 78 from 61 balls.

The handshake question continues to hover over the contest, with both captains choosing humor over clarity, Suryakumar Yadav asking everyone to wait, Salman Ali Agha echoing the same. Given the history since last year, the moment will be watched closely. Agha stressed spirit; Surya kept it light, reminding everyone they’re here to play cricket. We’ll soon see if the ice melts.

Big boost for India on the eve of the clash. Abhishek Sharma looked in ominous touch at Premadasa, shrugging off the illness and launching the spinners all around during a fiery net burst. Suryakumar Yadav even joked about unleashing him straight away, and if that happens, it could mean Sanju Samson is the one to miss out.

As per AccuWeather, expect some rains in the evening with a 96% chance of rainfall in Colombo today. As per the hourly prediction, the chances of rainfall till 8pm are over 49% and then drop sharply to 9% thereafter. With rain easing later in the day, a wet outfield could delay the start of the match or even shorten the game by a few overs.

Welcome to our live coverage of IND vs PAK in the T20 World Cup 2026, coming to you from Colombo. It’s a night that needs no build-up, two arch-rivals, a packed stadium, and millions watching across the world. Stay tuned for further updates.