Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasized that the upcoming India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match is primarily about cricket, not the surrounding boycott controversy. Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Colombo on February 14, 2026, he said the team was fully prepared for the February 15 clash at the Premadasa Stadium. Yadav noted that the players had focused on preparation and were ready for all group-stage matches.

He described the India-Pakistan encounter as a high-pressure and festive occasion but insisted that his team would approach it like any other game. The captain also mentioned that India does not regularly play against Pakistan due to political tensions, so the team was trying to keep things normal and execute their plans effectively on the field.

Questions about whether players would shake hands, given past incidents at the Asia Cup, remained unanswered. Yadav concluded by saying that the most important thing was that the match takes place, leaving other matters to be seen after 24 hours.