India coach breaks silence on Pak's boycott U-turn: Game was on until told otherwise

T20 World Cup 2026: India's assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate revealed how the Indian team reacted upon learning that Pakistan would indeed face them in Colombo on February 15.

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has revealed the team remained unfazed when Pakistan initially pulled out of their T20 World Cup clash scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.

Speaking ahead of India's match against Namibia on Tuesday, ten Doeschate said the dressing room maintained a business-as-usual approach despite the uncertainty surrounding the fixture.

"We treated it as status quo until told otherwise. We assumed we were going to play. We try to stay clear of politics and focus purely on cricket," ten Doeschate explained.

Pakistan eventually reversed their decision, confirming they would face India in what promises to be one of the tournament's marquee fixtures. Ten Doeschate acknowledged the challenge of playing in Colombo, where Pakistan have been preparing for a fortnight.

"Going to Colombo will be a challenge, especially as Pakistan have been there for a couple of weeks, but we're fully focused on bringing our best game," he added.

The Pakistan government had initially announced they would not take the field against India on February 15 at Colombo. This came in the aftermath of Bangladesh being replaced in the tournament with Scotland after refusing to travel to India, citing security concerns. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, was vocal in his support for Bangladesh.