Surat (Gujarat) [India], February 15 (ANI): The anticipation is palpable among young cricketers in Surat as the Indian cricket team prepares to face Pakistan in a highly awaited group-stage fixture of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

With both teams having registered victories in their opening matches, the India-Pakistan encounter is expected to be a thrilling affair. India's top position in the Group A standings, with four points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +3.050, sets the stage for a fierce contest. Meanwhile, Pakistan, sitting second with four points and an NRR of +0.932, is poised to bring their best to the field.

Local junior cricketers in Gujarat's Surat district were particularly excited about the match. Jayanti Patel, an Under-23 Gujarat state player, confidently told ANI, 'India will definitely win this match, no matter what Pakistan does. The pressure is always on them in an India-Pakistan match. Our openers and bowlers will be crucial, and I am looking forward to the toss and the match.'

Navya Patel, a cricketer, shared similar sentiments, adding, 'I am very excited about this World Cup match. India will make it 8-1 in our favour. Pakistan always loses to us, and I believe that tradition will continue. They are fearful to play against us.'

Mehul Patel, a coach with the Surat District Cricket Association, acknowledged the competitive nature of the India-Pakistan rivalry but emphasised that the pressure would be on Pakistan due to India's strong record against them. He pointed out the importance of the match's toss, stating, 'The toss will play a big role, and Pakistan's reliance on spinners could be key.'

Drashtant Shah, a junior cricketer, expressed his excitement, saying, 'We are all very confident that India will win. Pakistan's team looks weak compared to ours, which is full of young talent. We are sure that India will dominate the match.'

Both India and Pakistan have played two matches each in the tournament so far. Both have registered victories in those games. While India will enter the contest on the back of wins against the United States of America and Namibia, Pakistan have defeated the Netherlands and the US. (ANI)