COLOMBO: Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has spoken about the pressure and emotions surrounding the highly anticipated Pakistan India clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, stressing that mental composure will be crucial in such a high-profile contest.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Babar described a Pakistan India fixture as a spectacle that goes far beyond the cricket field, carrying immense global attention and expectations.

He noted that the intensity of the rivalry can easily overwhelm players, particularly those experiencing it for the first time, making emotional control a key factor.

According to Babar, experience has taught the team that staying relaxed and blocking out outside noise can significantly improve on field decision making. He emphasized that young players must manage excitement and pressure wisely to perform at their best.

Both teams enter the marquee clash unbeaten in the tournament. Pakistan have registered wins over the Netherlands and the USA, while India arrive after victories against the USA and Namibia setting the stage for another gripping chapter in one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries.

Historically, India have held the upper hand in T20 internationals, winning 13 of the 16 meetings between the sides. In T20 World Cup encounters, India lead 6-1, with one match producing no result.

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Squads

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.