There is no match in world sport quite like India vs Pakistan in cricket. It is watched by a combined audience that regularly exceeds one billion people and carries decades of political, historical, and cultural weight that transcends anything that happens on the pitch.
The teams have been placed in the same group at the 2026 T20 World Cup, guaranteeing at least one meeting. India enter as defending champions, having won the last two T20 World Cups. Pakistan, who have rebuilt around a core of exceptionally talented fast bowlers, represent the most dangerous opponent India could face in the group stage.
The match will feature players for whom the rivalry is something they grew up watching rather than playing. India's captain turns 24 this month; Pakistan's pace spearhead made his international debut just three years ago.
I have watched this match since I was a child. Now I am playing in it. The feeling is impossible to describe. โ Indian captain