Pakistan Refuse to Play India in T20 World Cup
Pakistan have decided to boycott their Group A match against India at the T20 World Cup 2026. The decision was confirmed through a post on the official X account of the Government of Pakistan.
The statement said the government had allowed the Pakistan team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament. However, it added that “the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
No reason was provided for the decision. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to formally inform the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the boycott.
The India-Pakistan fixture is the most-watched and highest-revenue match in ICC tournaments. Since 2012, the ICC has consistently placed both teams in the same group to ensure the clash takes place, even though the two nations have not played a bilateral series for 14 years.
If Pakistan stick to their decision, the 2026 T20 World Cup will become the first men’s ICC event since 2010 without an India-Pakistan group-stage match. There is no clarity yet on what will happen if both teams qualify for the knockout rounds.
Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup had been under scrutiny since Bangladesh were removed from the tournament on January 24 after refusing to play in India due to security concerns and replaced with Scotland.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi publicly backed Bangladesh’s request for a venue change and later accused the ICC of “double standards”. He also said that the final decision on Pakistan’s participation would rest with the government.
After meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi said all options remained open. A decision was expected by “Friday or next Monday.” One day before that deadline, the government made its stance clear.
Speculation had grown that Pakistan would avoid only the India match, rather than boycott the entire tournament. That view gained strength after the PCB named its World Cup squad within the ICC deadline.
A PCB statement, briefly shared with media before being deleted, suggested the team would travel to Sri Lanka.
ICC Responds to Pakistan Boycott Call
The ICC responded 3 hours after the government announcement. It said it expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable solution that protects the interests of all stakeholders.
The ICC added that it hopes the PCB will consider the long-term impact on cricket in Pakistan and the broader global cricket ecosystem.
The ICC also confirmed it has not yet received any official communication from the PCB.
Group A Fixtures and Points Impact
Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, Netherlands and USA. All of Pakistan’s matches are scheduled in Sri Lanka, one of the tournament’s co-hosts.
Pakistan’s Group A fixtures:
- Netherlands – February 7
- USA – February 10
- India – February 15 (boycott announced)
- Namibia – February 18
If Pakistan boycotts the India match, they will forfeit two points.
Under ICC Playing Conditions, Pakistan’s net run rate (NRR) will be negatively affected. India’s NRR will remain unchanged.
Clause 16.10.7 states that in the event of a forfeit, “the full 20 overs of the defaulting team’s innings shall be taken into account” when calculating net run rate.
India and Pakistan have played 13 T20Is in the past where India has won 10 and Pakistan has claimed 3 wins.
Check the schedule and full squads of all the 2026 T20 World Cup teams here.