ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced on Sunday that it will participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott the match against arch-rival India scheduled on February 15 in Colombo.
The decision, announced by the Government of Pakistan, follows the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) removal of Bangladesh from the tournament after Dhaka raised security concerns over playing in India.
“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,” a statement posted on the government’s official X account 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.
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) February 1, 2026
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday to discuss the Green Shirts’ participation in the tournament.
The announcement follows weeks of speculation about a possible boycott after the International Cricket Council (ICC) denied the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move its World Cup matches away from India.
The BCB had sought a change of venue after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) by instructions of the Indian cricket board, prompting public outrage in Bangladesh and other cricketing countries.
The ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the World Cup on Saturday, citing logistical difficulties with changing the schedule less than a week before the tournament’s February 7 start.
Hours before the ICC had announced its decision, Naqvi had said that Bangladesh was being treated unfairly and should be allowed to participate in the tournament.
Bangladesh’s exclusion triggered reports that Pakistan might also withdraw from the competition.
The reasons behind Pakistan’s decision not to play the T20 World Cup match against India on 15 February have come to light.
The move was intended to show solidarity with Bangladesh after the ICC decision, government sources said.
Multiple factors influenced Pakistan’s decision, with the ICC’s perceived biased stance towards Bangladesh playing a central role, they said, adding that the Pakistani team was instructed not to take the field against India on February 15 as “a form of protest”.
The sources said that ICC chief Jay Shah’s partial decisions had effectively turned the International Cricket Council into an extension of the Indian cricket board.
They further said that these biased decisions have undermined the principles of fairness and equality, accusing the ICC of applying different standards to different countries on its platform.
Relations between Bangladesh and India have been politically strained in recent months, with tensions spilling over into cricket.
Under an agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play all ICC tournament matches at neutral venues.
For the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s matches are scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka.
This approach mirrors arrangements in previous tournaments, including the 2023 Asia Cup, where India played at neutral venues to navigate political tensions between the two countries.
The two neighbours have largely played each other only in ICC events.
In 2023, a “hybrid model” allowed India to play Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, ensuring the tournament could proceed smoothly despite strained diplomatic relations.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on February 7.
Pakistan have been placed in the same group as defending champions India, but will play all their matches in Sri Lanka under an arrangement brokered by the ICC, allowing them to play at a neutral venue.
Following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in 2025, a “hybrid model” was decided upon whereby India played all their matches in Dubai, chosen as a neutral venue.
As per the compromise, Pakistan are set to play all their matches at the upcoming T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
