Pakistan on Sunday announced it will boycott its high-profile ICC T20 World Cup group-stage match against India, even as the government cleared the national team’s participation in the remainder of the tournament, which begins on February 7.
The decision was formally conveyed through a statement posted on the Pakistan government’s verified social media handle, putting an end to days of speculation over whether the team would take part in the competition.
The T20 World Cup is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
According to the statement, the Pakistan Cricket Team has been granted approval to compete in the ICC World T20 2026 but will not take the field for the February 15 fixture against India, scheduled to be played in Colombo.
The move is widely being seen as a political protest following the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament, after rejecting Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches from India to Sri Lanka citing security concerns.
“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 team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the statement said.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier indicated that the team’s participation would depend on the government’s decision, particularly in the wake of Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament.
With the announcement, Pakistan is set to compete against other teams in the group stage while sitting out its marquee encounter against India.
The development comes amid heightened political tensions in the region and adds a new dimension to the build-up of one of cricket’s most anticipated fixtures, which will now not take place at the World Cup.
