Pakistan has announced it will boycott its Group A clash against India at the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15, despite confirming participation in the rest of the tournament in Sri Lanka. A statement posted on the Pakistani government’s official X account said the team had been cleared to travel for the event, but would not take the field for the India match. No explanation was provided, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to formally notify the ICC.
The India–Pakistan encounter is typically the most commercially valuable and widely viewed fixture at any ICC tournament, which is why the two teams have regularly been placed in the same group since 2012, even though they have not played bilateral cricket for 14 years. If the boycott stands, this World Cup would become the first men’s ICC event since 2010 not to feature an India–Pakistan group-stage match. It remains unclear what would happen if the sides were to meet later in the knockout rounds.
Questions over Pakistan’s involvement intensified after Bangladesh were removed from the competition in January following their refusal to play in India over security concerns. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi criticised the ICC for alleged double standards and indicated that the final call would rest with the government. After discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi said all options were being considered, but the latest statement suggests a partial rather than complete withdrawal.
Pakistan, who have already named their squad, will play the Netherlands on February 7, USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18, all in Sri Lanka. By forfeiting the India game, they will automatically lose two points and suffer a hit to their net run rate under ICC regulations, while India’s figures would remain unaffected.
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