T20 World Cup 2026: 'We don't feel hurt, but it's not good for the game,' says Salman Ali Agha amid IND vs PAK tensions

Pakistan's captain, Salman Ali Agha, on Friday urged his team to stay focused on the task to play T20 World Cup match against India. Pakistan are scheduled to open their campaign against the Netherlands on Saturday, but off-field developments surrounding the India fixture have dominated discussions ahead of the tournament.

Speaking to reporters in Colombo on Friday, Agha said the team is deliberately avoiding distractions.

Commenting on past controversies, including tense moments during the Asia Cup where players from India and Pakistan did not shake hands and India declined to accept the trophy from PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, Agha said such actions hurt the spirit of the sport.

“We don’t really feel hurt, but for the game, it’s not good,” Agha said. “As players, we are role models. If we behave in a certain way, kids will follow that. I believe role models should always act in a way that helps improve the game.”

“There is no pressure,” Agha said. “In ICC tournaments, you come with the mindset of winning all your games. That’s what we are trying to do: give our best every time we take the field.”

Meanwhile, the Government of Pakistan announced that the national team would not take the field against India on February 15 in Colombo. The decision followed Bangladesh’s exit from the tournament after they refused to travel to India.

If Pakistan do not play India, the latter will be awarded two points, while Pakistan’s net run rate is also expected to take a significant hit. 

With Pakistan already under pressure after a shocking loss to the USA in the 2024 World Cup, Agha stressed that his side cannot afford any negligence, especially with the India match unlikely to take place. Pakistan still have fixtures against the Netherlands, USA and Namibia.

He also downplayed concerns about Sri Lanka’s unpredictable weather. “Weather is not in our control, so there’s no point discussing it. We only focus on how to win the matches we have,” he added.

Sri Lanka Cricket has written to the PCB, urging them to reconsider their stance, citing potential financial losses for the co-hosts. However, Agha declined to comment, saying the team is not engaging with matters outside the dressing room.

“Our focus is only cricket,” he said. “Sri Lanka has always supported us, and we respect them, but as a group, we avoid outside noise and concentrate on our game.”