Pakistan's cricket team will participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup, but has been instructed to boycott its match against India. The Pakistani government made the announcement on Sunday via its official X account. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin later this week.
The government stated that it has granted approval for the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, but the team will not play in the match scheduled for February 15, 2026 against India. The match was scheduled to take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with India.
While the government statement provided no specific reason for the decision, it follows weeks of escalating tensions between Pakistan cricket officials and the ICC. Sources suggest the boycott is a form of protest against the ICC's governance and what they perceive as biased decisions. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously criticized the ICC for "double standards," particularly concerning the treatment of Bangladesh.
Naqvi voiced his concern after Bangladesh was effectively expelled from the tournament for declining to travel to India, citing political tensions and security concerns. The ICC dismissed Bangladesh's request to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka, deeming there was no credible security threat. Scotland subsequently replaced Bangladesh in the tournament as the next highest-ranked team without qualification. According to a Geo News report, the Pakistan government decided against granting clearance for the team to play against India as a sign of protest against the ICC's governance. An unnamed source stated that the principles of justice and equality have been shattered by biased decisions.
The ICC has responded to Pakistan's announcement, expressing concern over what it termed "selective participation" in a global sporting event. The ICC stated that this position 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 added that while it 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. The ICC has said that its priority is to successfully organise the T20 World Cup and expects the PCB to explore a resolution.
If Pakistan does not take the field on February 15, India would be awarded two points.