Well, if it doesn’t work, you could always pull up the pavers later and remove the tile and put the pavers back down. That would be a pain in the neck, but at least it’s an option. And the good thing is that you don’t have to worry about getting a completely level/smooth surface when you rip out the tile, because the sand bed will take care of that.
I would recommend fixing the actual tiles underneath before putting down the sand. Or at least patch it with concrete. The sand bed will act differently in that spot.
How will you account for the increased height of the area?