Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin is optimistic that the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match will go on as scheduled. While the Pakistan government has given permission to the team to travel to Sri Lanka, they said the side will not take the field against India. 

India and Pakistan were once again placed in the same group by the ICC and they were all set to lock horns against each other on 15th February at Colombo.

Meanwhile, India has a 13-3 win-loss record against Pakistan in T20Is, whereas the Men in Blue have a 7-1 record against the arch-rivals in the T20 World Cup.

Ashwin said Pakistan will make a U-turn on their boycott decision.

“The India-Pakistan match will happen, 100 per cent. In fact, I think in the next 2,3,or 4 days, they will reverse their boycott. That is my hunch. I want to see the India-Pakistan match. There is a lot of business decisions in this. After all of this, if Pakistan decides to play against them on February 15, what will their mindset be?” R Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin said Pakistan could face massive losses if they boycott the match against India. The former off-spinner said Pakistan’s stand of not playing against India is not acceptable.

“Pakistan could face massive losses with this. They will have to pay broadcasters for the loss they are causing, that is not going to happen. So, I think they will have to compromise. Pakistan already got a neutral venue to play against India, so to say that ‘I will not play against a particular opponent’ is not acceptable in many ways. I hope better sense prevails,” R Ashwin said.

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on February 7.