ibn sultan
Pakistan will participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott its group-stage match against India, the Government of Pakistan confirmed on Sunday.
The highly anticipated India–Pakistan clash was scheduled to take place on February 15 in Colombo, but Pakistan will not take the field for the fixture, marking an unprecedented move in World Cup history.
The decision was taken by the Pakistani government following the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament after Dhaka raised security concerns about playing matches in India.
Solidarity with Bangladesh
Pakistan had earlier expressed solidarity with Bangladesh during an ICC vote on the issue. Pakistan and Bangladesh were the only two nations to support the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to shift matches out of India, while 14 other ICC member countries rejected the proposal.
Official Government Statement said,“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.”
Tournament Participation Continues
Despite the boycott of the India match, Pakistan will continue to play its remaining fixtures in the tournament as scheduled.
The ICC has not yet issued an official response to Pakistan’s decision. The development is expected to have major sporting and commercial implications, given the global significance of India–Pakistan matches in international cricket.(India Today)
