Thursday, 05 March 2026
Thursday, 05 March 2026
On Sunday morning in Colombo and Patna, the build-up to the India–Pakistan clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 played out in ways that have come to define this rivalry.
Near the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, vendors lined the pavements hours before the first ball. The blue of India and the green of Pakistan hung side by side, with buyers weighing allegiance against price and fabric.
India versus Pakistan has long been framed as more than a group-stage game. In tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council, the fixture carries television ratings, political undertones and personal memories.
A vendor sells jerseys of the Indian and Pakistani teams, before an ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Pakistan, near R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Cricket fans perform a 'havan' for Indian team's victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match against Pakistan, in Patna, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
A cricket fan poses for photographs before an ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Pakistan, near R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
A vendor sells national flags of India and Pakistan, before an ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Pakistan, near R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
