Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has spoken about handling pressure and emotion ahead of one of cricket’s biggest occasions when Pakistan take on India at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Babar described the fixture as a contest that goes far beyond cricketing skill, with global attention, fan emotion and political undercurrents all adding to the intensity.

“A Pakistan-India match is always high intensity,” Babar said. “The whole world is watching, fans are involved everywhere, and expectations rise automatically.”

Now 31, Babar said experience had taught him that mental composure often matters more than technique in matches of such magnitude. He stressed that learning to shut out external noise can be decisive, especially for younger players exposed to the rivalry’s glare for the first time.

“We’ve learnt that the more calm and relaxed you stay — and the less you listen to outside talk — the better it is,” he explained. “Young players naturally get excited, but if you stay tension-free and composed, it works in your favour.”

The comments come ahead of a fixture that has already survived weeks of uncertainty. The Pakistan–India T20 World Cup match in Colombo was briefly under threat amid a broader geopolitical standoff that also involved Bangladesh.

With bilateral cricket between Pakistan and India frozen for more than a decade, encounters are restricted to multi-nation tournaments at neutral venues. This year’s World Cup was further complicated when Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the 20-team event after refusing to tour India over security concerns.

Pakistan initially announced a boycott of the India match, citing solidarity with Bangladesh — a move that put the tournament’s most lucrative fixture in jeopardy. Broadcasters and sponsors reportedly feared massive advertising losses, prompting urgent behind-the-scenes negotiations by the International Cricket Council, which eventually brokered a compromise to ensure the match went ahead.

While politics has shaped the backdrop, the on-field rivalry has been largely one-sided in T20 World Cup history.

India’s statistical edge

Defending champions India hold a 7–1 record over Pakistan at T20 World Cups and reinforced their dominance at last year’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, beating Pakistan three times in one tournament, including a fiery final.

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has dismissed talk of favourites, warning against complacency.

“It’s such a funny game,” Rohit said recently. “You can’t just think it’s an automatic two points. You have to play good cricket on the day.”

Both teams have started the T20 World Cup 2026 with two wins, but India appear to have greater momentum. Opener Abhishek Sharma and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy currently top the tournament’s batting and bowling rankings respectively, although Abhishek remains doubtful after a stomach infection.

India’s depth has also stood out, with Ishan Kishan thriving at the top, captain Suryakumar Yadav regaining form, and Rinku Singh settling into the finisher’s role. Jasprit Bumrah anchors the pace attack, while Hardik Pandya provides balance as a key all-rounder.

For Pakistan, opener Sahibzada Farhan has impressed early, though debate continues around Babar Azam’s strike rate. Captain Salman Ali Agha will look to all-rounder Saim Ayub for impact, while off-spinner Usman Tariq — with his unusual side-arm action — could emerge as a surprise weapon.