How India Prepared for Pakistan: A look at the craze before the T20 World Cup clash

Ahead of the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash, fans, devotees, junior players, and coaches expressed confidence through prayers and public support, highlighting nationwide excitement and belief in Team India’s victory. As the Indian cricket team prepared to face Pakistan, thousands of devotees gathered at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on the occasion of Mahashivratri to pray for India’s victory.

A devotee said the coincidence of the festival and the match has doubled the excitement. "Along with the holy occasion of Mahashivratri, a India-Pakistan match will also held today. People here at Mahakaleshwar prayed for India's win."

Mahashivratri celebrations were also witnessed across the country, with large gatherings at Prayagraj’s Sangam ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, and several other shrines. Union Minister Nityanand Rai offered prayers at the Pataleshwar Temple in Hajipur, while authorities deployed strict security measures at the Magh Mela.

Magh Mela officer Rishi Raj said Mahashivratri marked the final ‘snan parv’ of the festival and noted that nearly 10 lakh devotees had already taken the holy dip.

Support from young cricketers and coaches for Team India

In Surat, junior cricketers expressed strong confidence in India’s chances. Under-23 Gujarat player Jayanti Patel said, "India will definitely win this match, no matter what Pakistan does. The pressure is always on them in an India-Pakistan match. Our openers and bowlers will be crucial, and I am looking forward to the toss and the match."

Navya Patel echoed similar optimism, saying, "I am very excited about this World Cup match. India will make it 8-1 in our favour. Pakistan always loses to us, and I believe that tradition will continue. They are fearful to play against us."

Coach Mehul Patel highlighted the importance of match conditions, saying, "The toss will play a big role, and Pakistan's reliance on spinners could be key."

Drashtant Shah said, "We are all very confident that India will win. Pakistan's team looks weak compared to ours, which is full of young talent."

Meanwhile, coaches of senior players also expressed confidence. Kapil Pandey, coach of Kuldeep Yadav, said, "This is a very big match. I hope Suryakumar Yadav & Co. will defeat Pakistan again and clinch a victory… The Indian team is very strong… In the bowling, I think Bumrah will be dangerous in the match."

Satish Samant, childhood coach of Shivam Dube, said, "There's excitement for the match… The match is enjoyed all over the world… Alongside Hardik, Dube is a great option…"

He added, "No feeling can match the feeling of defeating Pakistan,"

What’s the fan fervour ahead of the Colombo clash like?

Outside the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, fans from both countries arrived hours before the match.

Kuldeep Singh, an Indian fan who travelled to Sri Lanka, said, "The excitement has pulled me to come here all the way from India. We have full belief that India will win, like they always have in the past."

Mohammad Afsar added, "There's a lot of excitement for the match… We are excited to see Abhishek Sharma."

A Pakistani supporter, however, warned India against overconfidence. "Pakistan fans will wash you away like a cyclone… India's overconfidence will lead to their downfall."

Back home, fans in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, and other cities voiced similar optimism. Nirak Ghare said, "It will be fun to see today's match. India will bat first and play good cricket."

Nishant remarked, "I am very excited about the match… Sportsmanship must go on… We should not shake hands with them."

Farhan from Kolkata said, "Indian team is best in T20… India is sure to win,"

Manoj Reddy added,  "I hope India defeats Pakistan badly today… We are super excited about this match.”

What does the team form and match probabilities look like?

Both India and Pakistan entered the contest after winning their first two matches. India defeated the United States and Namibia, while Pakistan beat the Netherlands and the USA.

India topped Group A with four points and a Net Run Rate of +3.050, while Pakistan followed closely with four points and an NRR of +0.932. The match, scheduled for 7 PM in Colombo, was widely seen as a decisive group-stage encounter in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

With prayers, public support, and expert backing converging, India’s preparation reflected not only sporting readiness but also emotional and cultural investment in one of cricket’s biggest rivalries.

(With inputs from ANI)