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Rohit Sharma Attends India-Pakistan T20 WC Clash as ICC Ambassador

Former India captain Rohit Sharma was present at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo as an ICC ambassador for the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, interacting with ICC chairman Jay Shah. He also met with the Indian team and support staff ahead of the high-voltage Group A clash against Pakistan. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bowl, making an early breakthrough by dismissing Indian opener Abhishek Sharma. India entered the match as defending champions with a dominant historical record against Pakistan in T20 World Cups, having won seven of their eight previous encounters.

Key Points: Rohit Sharma at India-Pakistan T20 World Cup Match

  • Rohit Sharma attends as ICC ambassador
  • India defends T20 WC title
  • Pakistan wins toss, bowls first
  • India leads historic rivalry 7-1
2 min read

T20 WC: Rohit Sharma in attendance with ICC chair Jay Shah in Colombo

Former captain Rohit Sharma, an ICC ambassador, attends the high-voltage India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash in Colombo, interacting with Jay Shah.

T20 WC: Rohit Sharma in attendance with ICC chair Jay Shah in Colombo
"India has had a dominant run against Pakistan in the Men's T20 World Cup, having won 7 of the 8 matches. - Match Report"

Colombo, Feb 15

Former India captain Rohit Sharma, serving as the ICC ambassador for the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, was seen interacting with the ICC chairman Jay Shah during the Group A high-voltage clash against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

Under his leadership, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. Ahead of the clash, Rohit interacted with members of the Indian men's cricket team and the support staff.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bowl first and made an instant impact, dismissing star opener Abhishek Sharma in the first over. A reminder of some tensions between Agha and India captain Suryakumar Yadav came when there wasn't a handshake before the game, which had been confirmed just six days prior to today's game after the Pakistan government changed its mind on threatening to boycott the match.

Pakistan put out the same side as the last time they played, while India (the defending champions) made two major changes to their lineup by bringing back Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav (replacing Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh) for the big game today.

India has had a dominant run against Pakistan in the Men's T20 World Cup, having won 7 of the 8 matches played between the two sides. Pakistan's only win against India came in 2021 (Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were the pioneers) with a commanding 10-wicket victory in Dubai.

Interestingly, at the R Premadasa Stadium, all three previous World Cup matches have been won by the team batting first - a statistic that could play a decisive role in shaping yet another chapter of this iconic rivalry.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The no-handshake incident is disappointing. Sports should be above politics. We are neighbours and cricket is a shared passion. These gestures matter for the spirit of the game. Let's hope the focus stays on the amazing cricket on the field.
V
Vikram M
That 7-1 record is just dominant! 😎 But we can't be complacent. Pakistan's only win was a 10-wicket thrashing, a reminder they are always dangerous. Smart move bringing back Kuldeep for this big game. His wrist spin could be the key on this Colombo pitch.
R
Rohit P
Interesting stat about batting first at Premadasa. Hope Surya remembered that at the toss! Dropping Sanju Samson is a bit harsh though, he was in good touch. The team management's choices are always under the microscope for an India-Pak match.
S
Sarah B
The article mentions the Pakistan government's threat to boycott. It's good that cooler heads prevailed and the match went ahead. These contests are too important for fans in both countries to be lost to political posturing.
K
Karthik V
Abhishek Sharma out in the first over! That's a nightmare start. Pressure is immense in these games. Need a solid partnership now. Jay Shah and Rohit watching from the stands must be feeling the tension too. Jai Hind!

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