Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has shared his reaction on Pakistan‘s decision to reverse their boycott stance. Doeschate claimed that the Indian cricketers knew that the match would be on the table as before.
Ahead of India’s next ICC T20 World Cup 2026 fixture, which is against Namibia on February 12 in Delhi, the assistant coach stated that they had the feeling that the India vs. Pakistan match will be held according to the schedule, despite all the dramas staged off the field.
Team India not surprised with Pakistan’s U-turn
Speaking to the media at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, Ryan ten Doeschate said, “First of all, it’s great that the game is back on. We never changed our preparation or our thinking that the game wasn’t going to happen. We always had the impression that something would transpire and we would play, so it doesn’t really change the way we go about things.”
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The former Netherlands international believed that the highly expected match will benefit the team, and he welcomed the decision as India will face a quality side.
“We got confirmation late yesterday. We’d welcome another opportunity to play against a quality side, and it’s good for the team,” he added.
India vs Pakistan match on February 15
The India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match will be held on February 15, at 7.00 PM, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Team India will have to travel to Sri Lanka to play the match, which can be challenging for the team.
Ryan ten Doeschate expressed that facing Pakistan on Sri Lankan soil can be a very challenging task, as for the Men in Blue, the situation will be new, unlike for Pakistan. The Pakistan cricket team has been in Sri Lanka for about a couple of weeks, and they will surely get themselves habituated well to the conditions.
Challenging task for India
“Going to Colombo will be a challenge, especially with Pakistan having been there for the last couple of weeks, but our focus is on bringing our best game to that fixture next week,” the coach said.
He also made it clear that they have no business with the politics going around. He and his team are purely focused on the game.
“We try to stay clear of all the politics. We understand the sentiments and the history between the two countries, but for us, it’s important to focus purely on the cricket,” he said.
India and Pakistan, both of the teams have kicked off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on positive notes. Pakistan got their winning momentum by defeating Netherlands, and India got a win against the United States in their respective opening matches. Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) softened their boycott stance after a join meeting with ICC, UAE and Bangladesh.
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