Irfan Pathan picks India and Pakistan’s playing XI ahead of the marquee clash

Irfan Pathan reveals predicted playing XIs for IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Match 27: India with Abhishek Sharma opening alongside Rohit, SKY-Hardik core, Bumrah-Varun attack; Pakistan backs Babar-Rizwan openers, Abrar-Usman spin duo optimized for turning Premadasa pitch in high-stakes rivalry.

By Rui 15 Feb 2026 in Cricket

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Former Indian all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan has predicted India and Pakistan’s playing XI for the marquee clash between the arch-rivals, which is scheduled to be played on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Irfan reckoned that he would love to see Kuldeep Yadav playing ahead of Arshdeep Singh in the XI, courtesy of the Colombo surface assisting spinners right from the middle overs.

"I want to see Kuldeep Yadav play here. There is a rain threat, but it's not in your control. Yes, if the match starts late and the overs are reduced, you can think if you need an extra pacer or not. If the weather permits a full 20-over game, Kuldeep will play a major role. Pakistan doesn't play wrist spin that well,” Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

While Irfan brought in Abhishek Sharma for Sanju Samson in the opening spot, there were no other changes to India’s playing XI. Notably, Abhishek missed out on the clash against Namibia due to a stomach infection.

"If Abhishek plays, the pressure will be huge, but a strong start in the first six overs can break Pakistan back. Afridi will test him with away-moving balls. Big battle ahead,” Irfan Pathan stated.

Delving into the details of Pakistan’s playing XI, Pathan picked five spinners, including their skipper, Salman Ali Agha, while they have two pace options in Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf.

Irfan Pathan predicts India and Pakistan playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy.

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Agha Salman (captain), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq.

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