Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed strong confidence in Team India ahead of the much-anticipated Group A clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The high-voltage encounter is scheduled to be played on February 15 in Colombo.
Reacting to the fixture, Ganguly said, “It will be a big World Cup match. The match is on 15th February, it is not going to be easy for Pakistan to defeat India. India is a very good team.”
His comments reflect the belief surrounding the Indian side as they continue their title defence in the global tournament. Ganguly’s statement came at a time when the build-up to the match intensified following clarity over Pakistan’s participation in the fixture.
Pakistan Government Ends Uncertainty Over Match Participation
The Pakistan government on Monday directed its national cricket team to play the scheduled World Cup match against India, bringing an end to speculation around a possible boycott. This decision followed a briefing by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding high-level discussions involving the PCB, the ICC, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Earlier, Pakistan had announced its intention to boycott the group-stage match against India in support of Bangladesh, who were expelled from the tournament after the ICC rejected their request to move matches outside India due to “security concerns.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister also spoke with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to discuss regional cooperation during what were described as challenging times. After multiple consultations with the ICC and other stakeholders, Pakistan’s government instructed its team to honour the February 15 fixture.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also urged Pakistan to take the field against India after an ICC meeting held in Lahore to resolve the matter.
India’s Strong Start And Ganguly’s Favourite Players
Speaking in Kolkata, Ganguly also shared his views on the early phase of the T20 World Cup, praising the competitive nature of the tournament. “The tournament has started really well. So far, it doesn’t look that any team is out of place be it Netherlands, Scotland or Nepal. In the Indian team, Abhishek Sharma, Bumrah, Surya, and Ishan Kishan are my favourites,” he said.
India began their campaign on a positive note by defeating the USA by 29 runs in their opening Group A match, where captain Suryakumar Yadav played a match-winning knock of an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls. The Men in Blue are currently in Delhi preparing for their next clash against Namibia on February 12. They will then travel to Colombo for the marquee encounter against Pakistan on February 15, before heading to Ahmedabad for their final group-stage match against the Netherlands on February 18.
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