Pakistan to boycott India T20 World Cup game

Pakistan's government has forbidden its national cricket team from playing against India at the Twenty20 World Cup on February 15, throwing the global tournament into further chaos.

The decision, announced via social media moments after Pakistan completed a 3-0 series sweep over Australia with a 111-run thrashing of Mitchell Marsh's team, follows days of threats related to Bangladesh's exit from the tournament, replaced by Scotland, after it requested to have matches moved out of India.

That episode had already unsettled the event, but the prospect of Pakistan not fulfilling the fixture against India – arguably the most lucrative sporting contest in the world in terms of broadcast audiences – is a nightmare scenario for organisers.

“The government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the post read.

A couple of hours later the International Cricket Council, chaired by India’s former board secretary Jay Shah, and whose chief executive is former JioStar executive Sanjog Gupta, rushed out a statement pleading for Pakistan to reconsider.

“While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,” the ICC said.

“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.

“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.

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“The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.

“The ICC’s priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB. It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.”

The men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled for February 7 to March 8, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's board and government have been threatening action of this kind ever since Bangladesh's request to move matches out of India was rebuffed. That request was sparked by the January 3 removal of Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League, where he was contracted to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders, amid political tensions between India and Bangladesh.

At the time, the ICC rejected the Bangladesh government's advice that the national cricket team should not have to travel to India for the Cup.

“During this period, the ICC has shared detailed inputs, including independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities, all of which consistently concluded that there is no credible or verifiable threat to the safety or security of the Bangladesh team in India,” the ICC had said.

“Despite these efforts, the BCB maintained its position, repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its player’s involvement in a domestic league. This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”

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