Pakistan Government Announces Boycott Of India Clash In T20 World Cup 2026 But Confirms Tournament Participation

In a dramatic turn of events with less than a week remaining before the T20 World Cup, the Pakistan government has announced its decision to boycott the high-profile clash against India. The decision was made on the evening of Sunday (Feb 1), following a meeting between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the matter. The fixture in question was scheduled to take place on February 15 in Colombo, but uncertainty now surrounds the match.

Pakistan to Skip India Match

“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 from the Pakistan government read.

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According to Indian time, PM Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) head Naqvi met at the former’s residence around 6:30 p.m. when the decision was taken. Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament for refusing to tour India, the PCB and the Pakistan government have been in discussions regarding a potential boycott of the high-profile clash in Sri Lanka. Despite announcing the boycott of the match, Pakistan will participate in the T20 World Cup, which begins on Feb 7. Pakistan, like India, will face the Netherlands, USA and Namibia in the tournament. Notably, all of Pakistan’s fixtures are taking place in Sri Lanka as per an agreement between the BCCI, PCB and the ICC.

What Happens Next?

As things stand, the ICC will now have a decision to make with less than a week before the start of the tournament. The ICC might request Pakistan not to boycott the clash and a formal request could be made in the coming hours. However, other options that remain on the table include – forfeit of the contest with India being declared winners, change of group for Pakistan.