Sri Lanka will host the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match on Sunday, after Pakistan reversed its earlier boycott decision. The game will be held at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Pakistan’s initial boycott had raised fears of financial losses for Sri Lanka, still recovering from its 2022 economic crisis. The hospitality industry saw many canceled bookings after the boycott news but bounced back strongly once Pakistan agreed to play. "All major hotels in Colombo were fully booked by Indian travel agencies well ahead [of the match] and once the boycott was announced, we lost almost all of those bookings," said Sudarshana Pieris from Sri Lanka's hospitality sector. After the reversal, hotel rates surged by 300-400 percent. Local businesses from street vendors to fine dining expect increased sales this weekend. The match also provides jobs in media, event management, security, and transport. Asanka Hadirampela, a broadcaster, called it "the biggest and most-watched game of the tournament" and a "special achievement" to work on it. Politically, Pakistan's boycott was linked to support for Bangladesh after the ICC removed Bangladesh from the tournament. Pakistan agreed to play again following requests from regional allies. Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reconsider, highlighting the match’s importance for Sri Lanka's global sports profile and regional neutrality. Sri Lanka and Pakistan have strong cricket and diplomatic ties, with Sri Lanka first visiting Pakistan after its 10-year international cricket ban following a 2009 terror attack. Sri Lanka Cricket vice president Ravin Wickramaratne said, "We asked them to reconsider the decision... It would have impacted Sri Lanka economically." As of Saturday morning, 28,000 tickets were sold, with expectations of a full house of 40,000 fans in Colombo. Thousands more will crowd the streets near Premadasa Stadium to watch the cricket rivalry reignite on Sunday.