New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Sunday officially announced the boycott of their match against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The high-octane fixture was set to take place on February 15 in Colombo.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” the Pakistani government said in a post on X. “However, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has, however, reacted to Pakistan’s “position of selective participation”, saying that it 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”.
In a statement released Sunday, the global body said that it has taken note of Pakistan government’s statement, even as it awaits official communication from the PCB.
“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions. While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the statement read.
ICC further said that it hopes PCB will consider the implications for cricket in its own country as the decision is “likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of”.
“It (ICC) expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders,” the statement added.
Pakistan’s move to boycott the game against India is aimed at showing solidarity with Bangladesh, who refused to travel to India for the world cup. Thereafter, the ICC opted to replace Bangladesh with Scotland. And, this was followed by Pakistani CB issuing veiled threats to withdraw from the tournament in solidarity.
Reportedly, the ICC had already warned Pakistan, saying any such move could lead to severe sanctions, with long-term adverse effects on Pakistan cricket across formats and competitions.
Pakistan participates under a hybrid model in ICC events hosted by India, with all their matches to be played in Sri Lanka. The same arrangement was supposed to be in place for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India came days after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced its decision to release bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the squad, amid protests from a section of fans and politicians who objected to keeping a Bangladeshi player in the tournament amid anti-India demonstrations and attacks on Hindus in the country.
Faizan Lakhani, Deputy Sports Editor at Karachi-based Geo News, said Pakistan’s decision to not play India may disappoint many fans on both sides of the border.
“This is a decision by the Government of Pakistan, and no cricket board can act against its government’s directive. The BCCI, the richest cricket board in the world, couldn’t defy its government, and Bangladesh also complied with theirs, so how could Pakistan cricket go against its own?” he told ThePrint.
He said Pakistan and India were anyway not playing against each other like two sports teams. “There were no handshakes, no signs of sportsmanship, nothing that reflects the true spirit of the game. If respect for the essence of sports cannot be upheld, it is better that we don’t play at all.”
Meanwhile, the Icelandic Cricket Association continues to take swipes at Pakistan’s boycott drama, with humourous takes on X. In a new post Sunday, which comes after a series of witty digs over the past few days, the body wrote it is “aware of shifting sands in the tournament fixtures and the calls for us to fill the sudden void that has emerged on 15th February”
“However, as a responsible Board who believe in the merits of consistency and certainty, we remain withdrawn from the tournament. Only 50 million krónur and a private jet will change our minds,” it added.
We are aware of shifting sands in the tournament fixtures and the calls for us to fill the sudden void that has emerged on 15th February. However, as a responsible Board who believe in the merits of consistency and certainty, we remain withdrawn from the tournament. Only 50… https://t.co/uVZde5g11t
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) February 1, 2026
In a previous post, Iceland Cricket had addressed the ICC, saying that their squad of amateur players, ranging from professional bakers, bankers to ship captains, simply cannot drop their occupations on such short notice.
Iceland’s ‘open letter’ had also mentioned Scotland. “We are not like Scotland and able to turn up on a whim, with no kit sponsor. Our players are from all walks of life and cannot simply drop their occupations to fly halfway around the world to experience temperatures only normally felt in Finnish saunas,” it read. “Our captain, a professional baker, needs to attend to his oven, our ship captain needs to steer his vessel, and our bankers need to go bankrupt (again). This is the harsh reality of cricket at the amateur level of the game.”
Even Uganda had jumped in with a cheeky response after it was mentioned in Iceland’s post.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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