Pakistan will not take the field against India in the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, even though it will participate in the tournament, the Government of Pakistan announced on Sunday, February 1.
In an official statement posted on social media platform X, the government said it had granted permission for the Pakistan cricket team to travel to Sri Lanka for the World Cup but confirmed that the team would boycott the match against India scheduled for February 15, 2026. The statement did not specify the reason behind the decision.
“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 15 February 2026 against India,” the statement said.
India and Pakistan were drawn together in Group A, and the much-anticipated match was scheduled to be played in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With Pakistan choosing not to play the fixture, the team is expected to forfeit the match and lose two points.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has not yet formally informed the International Cricket Council about its decision to boycott the India match. Pakistan is scheduled to travel to Colombo on Monday and will play a warm-up match against Ireland on February 4.
The decision comes after Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi raised concerns following Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament by the ICC on January 24 due to security issues related to matches in India. Pakistan was the only country to support Bangladesh’s request for a neutral venue and accused the ICC of applying double standards.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, had said earlier that the final decision on participation would be taken by the government. The announcement followed his meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Despite speculation that Pakistan could boycott the entire tournament, the team will take part in all other group matches. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan will open their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by matches against the United States on February 10 and Namibia on February 18.
The India-Pakistan match is considered one of the most-watched fixtures in world cricket and carries significant commercial value. Pakistan’s decision to boycott the game has added a political dimension to the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 in Sri Lanka.
