KARACHI – Pakistan captain Salman Agha insists Men in Green was “always ready” for high-voltage clash against India, even though the green light came only a few days ago.
The blockbuster Group A showdown has completely sold out the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with a staggering global audience expected to tune in. The game was confirmed late Monday after the Islamabad government reversed its earlier boycott decision, adding another twist to the cricketing saga.
“This is a massive match with enormous stakes,” said Agha before Pakistan’s practice session on Saturday. “We were prepared regardless of the decision.”
Team Green enters game on back of thrilling victories, a last-over, three-wicket win over the Netherlands and a 32-run triumph against the United States. India, too, remains unbeaten, setting the stage for a fiery showdown.
Salman Agha highlighted spin as the key to victory, naming Tariq Usman as a potential game-changer against India’s star-studded batting lineup. Addressing questions about Tariq’s unusual sling-arm action, Agha confidently said, “He’s been cleared twice, so there’s no worry.”
With rain forecast for Sunday evening, the weather could add another twist. Agha also called for sportsmanship, hoping the players shake hands, unlike the tense Asia Cup encounters in Dubai last year.
The winner will secure a spot in the next Super Eights round. India may be without explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, sidelined by a stomach bug. “We hope he recovers and plays. We want to face the best,” Agha added.
Pakistan vs India T20 Squads
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Mirza, Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
India: Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson/Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
