India face Pakistan in Colombo after ICC resolved boycott threats, with Abhishek Sharma declared fit
The handshake controversy remains unresolved, as both captains stay guarded on the topic
Senior officials from BCB and BCCI are set for talks in Colombo amid strained bilateral relations
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 enters its biggest matchday of the group stage on Sunday, with the marquee India vs Pakistan clash set to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. After threats of a boycott by Pakistan, the ICC finally managed a compromise that will see the biggest contest in world cricket being played under the lights in Sri Lanka.
But that is not the only storyline, as three associate nations – Nepal, the USA, and Namibia – will all be fighting for their survival in the tournament. Nepal arguably face the toughest test, going up against two-time champions West Indies, while USA will take on Namibia.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five biggest news stories that you might have missed ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup matches on February 15.
Abhishek Sharma Back For India
India got a big boost ahead of their match against Pakistan, as captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed that batter Abhishek Sharma is fit and available. The opener was recently hospitalised after suffering a stomach infection, and did not play in the last match against Namibia.
However, in the pre-match press conference on Saturday, Suryakumar said that the batter has recovered from his illness. “If Pak wants us to play Abhishek, then done. He will play tomorrow,” the Indian skipper said.
To Shake Hands Or Not
It is revealing how much cricket has mixed with politics in the subcontinent that ahead of the match between India and Pakistan, the focus remains not on the cricket but on whether the two teams will shake hands before and after the match.
In the pre-match press conferences, both skippers have been cagey in answering whether the ‘no handshake’ policy between the two sides – instituted by the BCCI after the Pulwama attack – will continue on Sunday.
“We will see about it (handshake) tomorrow,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said. “The game should be played in real spirit, the way it has been played since it started. The rest is up to them (India), what they want to do.”
“Why are you highlighting that (handshake issue)?” India’s Suryakumar Yadav said. “We are here to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls tomorrow. We will see tomorrow.”
BCB-BCCI Meeting On Cards
The match between India and Pakistan will see the first meeting between the heads of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the BCCI. The two boards have had a strained relationship since the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL and Bangladesh’s subsequent refusal to tour India, which resulted in their removal from the T20 World Cup.
BCB president Aminul Islam will be in attendance in Colombo, as will BCCI president Mithun Manhas, secretary Devajit Saikia, and vice-president Rajeev Shukla.
“The ICC has taken a decision. The major stakeholders of the ICC are these five Asian countries,” Islam told Bangladesh newspaper ‘Prothom Alo’. “For the India-Pakistan World Cup match on the 15th, they want representatives of all five Asian countries to be present at the ground together, watch the match together and talk to one another.”
USA Ahead Of Namibia: Head Coach
The United States team are flying high in the T20 World Cup, having beaten fellow associate side Netherlands by 93 runs on Friday. Saiteja Mukkamalla was the star of the show, scoring 79 off 51 balls.
“The game against the Netherlands was a message to everyone about how far ahead we are compared to the rest of the associate nations,” USA head coach Pubudu Dassanayake said. “This team deserves to play more against full-member countries.”
“We had a great practice session under lights. Overall, I believe we’re slightly ahead of Namibia in terms of adapting to these conditions,” he added.
Rohit Paudel Boost For Nepal
Nepal face a must-win match against West Indies. The Rhinos suffered an embarrassing 10-wicket loss against debutants Italy on Thursday, and need a victory against the Windies to keep their hopes of reaching the Super 8s alive.
During their final training session at the Wankhede on Saturday, one player was nowhere to be seen – influential captain Rohit Paudel. Head coach Stuart Lew confirmed that he had “fever and stomach issues”.
However, the Nepalese fans were given a bit of respite when Lew added, “He took medicines, and he should be fine for tomorrow.”
