Team India breaks silence on Pakistan's last-minute boycott U-turn: We always knew we would play

Ryan ten Doeschate said the development came as no surprise to the players, adding that they had always expected the fixture to go ahead.

Updated on: Feb 10, 2026, 22:08:04 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Indian camp offered its first reaction a day after Pakistan softened their stance on a potential boycott and put the marquee Group A clash of the 2026 T20 World Cup back on the table. The February 15 encounter in Colombo will be the third World Cup game for both teams.

India will face Pakistan on February 15 (AFP)

Speaking to the media at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, ahead of India’s second match against Namibia on February 12, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the development came as no surprise to the players, adding that they had always expected the fixture to go ahead.

“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,” ten Doeschate said. “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.”

Pakistan's U-turn on T20 World Cup India match Live Updates

“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.

The confirmation from the Government of Pakistan came a day after an ICC delegation met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Lahore, in the presence of Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took the final call after considering requests from several ICC member boards, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Emirates Cricket Board.

Ten Doeschate reiterated that the Indian camp prefers to stay clear of the political backdrop surrounding the fixture, while acknowledging that the decision was positive for the sport.

“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. “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.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.