Pakistan Reaffirms Boycott of T20 World Cup Match Against India
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again confirmed that Pakistan will not play its scheduled T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, stating that the government has taken a clear and well-considered decision on the matter. Speaking during a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister said the stance applies to the February 15 group-stage match set to be played in Sri Lanka.
Shehbaz Sharif said the decision was taken after careful assessment and deliberation, describing it as appropriate under the circumstances. He also remarked that sports should remain free from politics, but added that Pakistan had still chosen its position after thorough consideration.
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The reaffirmation comes after an earlier announcement by the Pakistan government on social media, which stated that the national team would not take the field against India in the T20 World Cup, without providing specific reasons. This declaration led to strong reactions at the international level.
Following Pakistan’s position, the International Cricket Council issued a statement expressing concern over what it described as “selective participation” in a global tournament. The ICC said it had taken note of the government’s directive and was awaiting formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board, but emphasized that such a stance is difficult to reconcile with the principles of fairness and equal competition that underpin global sporting events.
The ICC stressed that all qualified teams are expected to compete according to the published schedule and that selective participation undermines sporting integrity, competitiveness, and consistency. While acknowledging the role of governments in national policy decisions, the ICC said the move was not in the broader interest of international cricket or fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan. The council urged the PCB to consider the long-term consequences for Pakistan cricket and the global cricket ecosystem.
The governing body reiterated that its priority remains the smooth and successful conduct of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and said it expects all member boards, including the PCB, to work towards a mutually acceptable solution that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders.
In this backdrop, PCB chairman and Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi had last month met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to brief him on ICC-related developments. The discussions also followed another major controversy involving Bangladesh, which refused to send its team to India citing alleged security concerns.
The ICC subsequently announced that Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the tournament after the Bangladesh Cricket Board declined to participate under the published schedule. The decision was taken after the ICC found no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh team in India and rejected requests to shift matches to Sri Lanka. The 20-team tournament is scheduled to be held from February 7 to March 8, with matches in India and Sri Lanka.
Scotland qualified as the highest-ranked T20 International side not originally part of the tournament. Currently ranked 14th, Scotland sit above several teams already included, such as Namibia, the UAE, Nepal, the USA, Canada, Oman, and Italy.
On the cricketing front, Pakistan’s recent record against India in ICC T20 World Cups has been poor. The two rivals have faced each other eight times in the competition, with India winning seven matches and Pakistan securing just one victory. Pakistan also endured a difficult Asia Cup last year, where they were clean-swept by India in a series of matches, including the final, during which Indian youngsters dominated Pakistan’s bowling attack.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan have been placed in Group A along with India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States. Pakistan announced its squad for the tournament last month, while India has also named a strong lineup under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav.
Despite preparations on both sides, uncertainty now surrounds the high-profile India-Pakistan clash, with the ICC continuing efforts to resolve the issue amid growing concern over the impact on the tournament and global cricket.
India’s squad for the tournament is led by Suryakumar Yadav and includes Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh.
Pakistan’s squad features Salman Ali Agha as captain, along with Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
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