New Delhi: In a surprising move, the Pakistan government has decided that the national team will not play against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held next month. As per the tournament schedule, the high-profile India–Pakistan match was slated for February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had last week stated that the final call on participation in the tournament would be taken by the Pakistan government, indicating that a decision would be communicated by Monday. The government has now cleared Pakistan’s participation against all other teams in the tournament but decided to boycott the match against India.
As a result, Pakistan will not take the field for the much-anticipated clash on February 15, a development that has stunned the cricketing world at a time when the T20 World Cup is on the verge of getting underway. The decision is expected to have wide-ranging implications, and attention has now shifted to how the International Cricket Council (ICC) will respond.
The development follows recent controversy surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in a major ICC event. Around six weeks ago, following violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh government had decided not to send its team to the mega event. Subsequently, the ICC excluded Bangladesh from the tournament after rejecting its demand to host matches at a neutral venue.
Pakistan had openly supported Bangladesh on the issue. The PCB not only criticised the ICC’s decision but also voted in Bangladesh’s favour during an ICC meeting. Pakistan had also stated that its own participation in the mega event would be finalised only after consultations with the government.
With Pakistan now opting out of the India match, the ICC faces a fresh challenge just ahead of the tournament, and its next steps are being keenly watched by the global cricket fraternity.
