Former India captain Rohit Sharma has urged caution ahead of India’s much-anticipated T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against Pakistan national cricket team, insisting that reputations will count for little once play begins. The rivals are set to meet on 15 February at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Although India have enjoyed the upper hand in T20 World Cups and have won their last five T20 internationals against Pakistan, Rohit dismissed any suggestion that his former side can afford complacency. Speaking at an event in Dubai, he described the T20 format as inherently unpredictable, noting that the global growth of franchise cricket has strengthened every international side.

India’s only defeat to Pakistan in a World Cup came during the 2021 T20 edition, a reminder, Rohit suggested, that past dominance offers no guarantees.

“You can’t just walk in assuming the two points are already yours,” he said. “You have to produce quality cricket on the day to secure them; otherwise,you might end up going home without anything.”

He added that form guides and historical records will not decide the contest. In T20 cricket, he stressed, margins are slender and any team is capable of prevailing if they execute their plans effectively on the day. (With inputs from Agencies)