&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2026: Captains avoid handshake, India make key changes for high-octane contest")
Captains avoided a handshake in the T20 World Cup 2026 contest on Sunday (Feb 15) as India took on Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Surrounded by political tensions, the fixture had attracted the attention of the entire cricket fraternity as the two arch-rivals met in the T20 World Cup contest. At the toss, both Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan captain Salman Agha exchanged team sheets but avoided handshakes.
Captains avoid handshake
Surrounded by the air of boycott, the India vs Pakistan match had everyone’s attention with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi traveling to Sri Lanka alongside International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah. However, despite the political attention, both captains avoided handshake at the toss, raising eyebrows.
Abhishek, Kuldeep in, Arshdeep, Samson out
Abhishek Sharma returned to the top of the batting order, replacing Sanju Samson. Mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav replaces Arshdeep Singh in the team. With Kuldeep’s return, India now have more spin options, aiming to make the most of the turning pitch in Colombo.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The 25-year old had missed India’s previous match against Namibia in Delhi due to illness. However, he trained with the team on Saturday and looked in good touch. The left-hander appeared fully fit in the nets, playing confidently. He batted against spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy and hit them powerfully around the ground at the R. Premadasa Stadium before shifting to face the pacers.
India Playing XI vs Pakistan
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan(wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan Playing XI vs India
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmad and Usman Tariq.
