Kolkata, February 15
Team India wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan's coach Uttam Mazumdar said that the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match is significant not just for the Indian team but for the entire nation, adding that they would dedicate their performance to the 1.5 billion Indians and the soldiers who observed Black Day for the Pulwama attacks, stressing that the incident will never be forgotten and that the moment goes beyond just a single match.
Speaking to ANI, Uttam Mazumdar said, "This is incredibly exciting, because it's not just for us, the Indian team. The entire 1.5 billion Indians, the soldiers who observed the Black Day on February 14 for the Pulwama tragedy, we will dedicate everything to them because no one will ever forget that incident. This is beyond just one match.
Mazumdar expressed confidence that Suryakumar Yadav and Co. will win the contest against Pakistan by a big margin, as the match is a matter of great pride and more important than any other game.
"I have a message for the entire Indian team, not just Ishan, the whole team and Suryakumar. I want to say that we will win today's match by a huge margin, because this match is a huge pride for us. Today's match sets aside all other matches," he said.
He said Ishan has already established himself as a top player and expects him to open alongside Abhishek Sharma. He also said that he urged Ishan Kishan to score a century for the country and its soldiers in a video call yesterday, adding that the match could be a significant milestone both for Ishan's career and for Team India.
"Look, Ishan has already proven what kind of player he is. I would expect Ishan and Abhishek to be the opening pair today. I received a video call from Ishaan last night, and we spoke for at least 40 minutes. I told him that he must score a hundred, not just for himself but for the whole country and its soldiers. I believe Ishan's match today will be a huge milestone, not just for his individual career, but for Team India as a whole," Ishan Kishan's coach said.
Both India and Pakistan have played two matches each in the tournament so far. Both have registered victories in those games. While India will enter the contest on the back of wins against the United States of America and Namibia, Pakistan has defeated the Netherlands and the USA.
While the Suryakumar Yadav-led India are placed on top of Group A standings with four points and the Net Run Rate (NRR) of +3.050, Pakistan are placed second with four points, too, and an NRR of +0.932.
- ANI
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