India on Tuesday mentioned dealing with a “high quality” Pakistan facet in Colombo shall be “a problem,” after authorities in Islamabad instructed the nationwide workforce to play the scheduled ICC Males’s T20 World Cup match on February 15.
The federal authorities late Monday ended a week-long stand-off by rescinding its order for the cricket workforce to boycott the conflict.
“It is nice that the sport is again on, we form of by no means modified the preparation,” mentioned India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
India will face a second Group A match towards Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi earlier than flying to Sri Lanka.
It means a fast turnaround for Sunday’s match, the most important and most profitable conflict in world cricket.
“It is going to be a problem going to Colombo, the place Pakistan have been for the final two weeks,” added Ten Doeschate.
“We’re delighted to have one other probability to play towards a high quality facet within the first part of the event. “We’re totally targeted on simply bringing our greatest sport to that fixture.”
Pakistan warmed up for the conflict in excellent trend with a second win of the event in Colombo on Tuesday, by 32 runs towards the USA.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan, who high scored with 73, mentioned: “The match is on and we’re in a assured temper.”
The final time the groups met, eventually yr’s T20 Asian Cup, India beat Pakistan 3 times on their technique to lifting the trophy in Dubai.
“This time it is going to be completely different, and we are going to give a robust efficiency,” mentioned Farhan. “We misplaced all three matches, together with the ultimate to India within the Asia Cup, however they weren’t one-sided.”
Pakistan’s resolution to go forward with the match was hailed on Tuesday as an outbreak of “good sense” and “good for cricket”.
A frantic weekend of negotiations noticed Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chiefs fly to Lahore on Sunday for talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The governments of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka each wrote to the Islamabad authorities on Monday, urging it to vary its stance and permit the sport to go forward.
‘Spirit of cricket’
After “multilateral discussions, in addition to the request of pleasant international locations, the Authorities of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan Nationwide Cricket Workforce to take the sphere on February 15”, the Islamabad authorities mentioned on its official X account late Monday evening.
The choice had been taken with the purpose of “defending the spirit of cricket”, it added.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal advised AFP on Tuesday that it was “good for cricket”. “We wish robust groups to play in order that the attraction of the World Cup shouldn’t be misplaced,” he added.
Sri Lanka, who will host the match, which generates multi-millions of {dollars} in promoting, broadcast rights, sponsorship and tourism, additionally praised the choice.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a social media put up, thanked Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “making certain the sport all of us love goes on”.
Veteran Indian journalist Pradeep Journal advised AFP, “good sense has prevailed on all sides”. Monetary issues would have been taken into consideration, he added.
“Everybody realised that shedding the income from an India-Pakistan match would have been a loss-loss state of affairs for all ICC member nations.”
Acrimonious build-up
The 20-team event has been overshadowed by an acrimonious political build-up. Bangladesh, who refused to play in India citing safety considerations, had been changed by Scotland.
As a protest, Islamabad ordered the nationwide workforce to not face co-hosts India within the Group A fixture.
Pakistan, who edged out the Netherlands within the event opener on Saturday, would have conceded two factors if that they had forfeited the match.
Pakistan will play all their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as a part of an ICC deal that ensures the 2 nations solely meet on impartial territory.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav mentioned on Friday, earlier than their opening win towards the USA, that his workforce would journey to Colombo for the conflict, whether or not the sport was on or not.
“We have not mentioned no to taking part in them,” Suryakumar mentioned. “Our flights are booked, and we’re going to Colombo.”
