Pakistan to Participate in T20 World Cup but Will Boycott India Match

Pakistan’s government has confirmed that the national cricket team will take part in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup but will not play its Group A match against arch-rival India. The 20-team tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins Saturday, with Pakistan scheduled to play all its games in Sri Lanka due to ongoing political tensions with India.

The highly anticipated Pakistan-India clash in Colombo on February 15 has been a highlight for fans and broadcasters in past tournaments. This year, however, the game is now in doubt. The government announced the decision Sunday on its official X account, stating, “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.”

No specific reason was provided for the boycott. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for what he called “double standards” when it refused to move Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh was eventually replaced by Scotland for the tournament. Naqvi left the final decision on Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup to the government after briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The ICC expressed concern over Pakistan’s planned boycott, emphasizing the impact on the “spirit and sanctity” of the global event. “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. The council added that it hopes Pakistan will consider the long-term implications for cricket domestically and globally and explore a mutually acceptable resolution.

Pakistan’s first game of the tournament is against the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday, followed by matches against the United States on February 10 and Namibia on February 18. If Pakistan forfeits its game against India, the latter will be awarded two points.

The Pakistan-India match is among the most commercially significant fixtures of ICC tournaments, attracting large viewership and sponsorship revenue. Despite no bilateral series between the two nations in the past 14 years, they have frequently met in ICC events.

Team captain Salman Ali Agha, who recently led Pakistan to a 3-0 T20 series victory over Australia, said the squad will follow government instructions. “It’s not our decision, we can’t do anything about it,” Agha said. “We will do whatever our government and the PCB chairman say.”

Tensions between the two cricketing nations have occasionally spilled onto the field. Last year, during the Asia Cup in the UAE, Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s team, including after the final match.