Indian men’s cricket team assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has clarified that the Suryakumar Yadav-led side was always mentally prepared to face Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match in Colombo on February 15.
Ten Doeschate said the Indian dressing room never allowed off-field developments or political uncertainty to affect its preparation, adding that Pakistan’s late confirmation has only sharpened the team’s focus on cricket.
“First of all, I think it’s great that the game is back on. We never changed our preparation or thought that the game wasn’t going to happen. We always felt something would transpire and that we would play, so it’s not a big change in the way we go about things,” Ten Doeschate said at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
He revealed that clarity over the fixture came only recently but insisted it made little difference to India’s approach.
“We got confirmation late yesterday, and early this morning it started coming through that the game was going ahead. We’re happy to have another opportunity to play against a quality side, and it’s good for the team,” he added.
The former Netherlands all-rounder also acknowledged that Pakistan could enjoy a slight logistical advantage, having already spent considerable time in Colombo ahead of the contest.
However, Ten Doeschate stressed that the Indian camp has deliberately stayed away from the political discourse surrounding the match.
“We try to stay clear of all the politics. We understand the sentiments and the background between the two countries, but for us, it’s important to focus purely on the cricket,” he said.
India will face Namibia on February 12 before the high-profile clash, and Ten Doeschate believes that the confirmation of Pakistan’s participation allows both teams to treat the game strictly as a sporting contest.
“We accepted the situation as it was. Until we got there and they didn’t show up, we always assumed we were going to play,” he concluded.
