\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/large\/2026\/02\/14153609d2efee8.webp\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Pakistan skipper Salman Agha said Saturday his team had been \u201calways ready\u201d to face India on Sunday at the T20 World Cup, despite only being given the green light a few days ago.<\/p>\n
The biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket has sold out the 35,000-capacity R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with hundreds of millions more expected to watch on television.<\/p>\n
The game was only confirmed<\/a> as going ahead late on Monday night after the government made a U-turn on its order to boycott the blockbuster Group A game.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very big game and the magnitude is huge,\u201d Agha said ahead of the team\u2019s practice at the stadium on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were always ready for the game, whatever the decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Pakistan had a scrappy last-over three-wicket win<\/a> in their first match against the Netherlands before beating <\/a>the United States by 32 runs. India have also won both their matches so far.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in good momentum and I hope that being in Colombo since the start will help us in terms of conditions,\u201d said Agha.<\/p>\n But he warned: \u201cWe have to play good cricket to win the match.\u201d The hugely anticipated match could be hit by bad weather, with rain forecast for Sunday evening.<\/p>\n Agha believed spin would dominate, calling Tariq Usman his trump card against India\u2019s powerful batting line-up.<\/p>\n \u201cTariq has been bowling well, and I am sure the mystery element will make him our trump card,\u201d Agha said, brushing aside doubts over the legality of Tariq\u2019s unique sling-arm action and the exaggerated pause in his delivery stride.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has been cleared twice, so there are no worries.\u201d Agha hoped the players would shake hands<\/a>, unlike during their three Asia Cup matches in Dubai last year.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game should be played in the true spirit of the game,\u201d said Agha.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has been the norm in cricket for years, but whatever way they want, we will only know tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n The winner will be guaranteed their berth in the next Super Eights round.<\/p>\n India have a doubt over explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, who has been suffering from a stomach bug.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope he plays tomorrow. I hope he\u2019s recovering well,\u201d said Agha. \u201cWe want to play against the best, good luck to him.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n