T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan’s India Boycott Threat Likely to Fall Flat, ‘U-Turn’ on Cards

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sticks to its T20 WC 2026 boycott of India, citing government orders and solidarity with Bangladesh. Sri Lanka warned of financial losses, but PCB remains firm, though a post-Bangladesh elections U-turn is speculated.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to stand firm on its government directive of boycotting the Team India clash at the T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to take place at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15.

On Wednesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address to the Federal Cabinet meeting, confirmed the national team will not face the Men in Blue in the much-anticipated clash of the marquee event, describing the decision as a ‘field of play’ issue rather than politics, while reiterating Pakistan’s solidarity with Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s stance was merely politically driven rather than any cricketing concern, as it was an act of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the tournament after refusing to play their group stage matches in India due to ‘security concerns’, and were replaced by Scotland in Group C.

In fact, Pakistan was the only ICC member to have voted in Bangladesh’s favour for venue change from Sri Lanka to India, as other board members supported the move to keep the original schedule intact. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi criticized ICC for the perceived treatment of Bangladesh and threatened to withdraw Pakistan from the tournament entirely before reversing to only boycotting the India clash.

Sri Lanka Urges Pakistan to Reconsider Decision

As Pakistan continues to remain adamant on boycotting the India clash, with skipper Salman Ali Agha backing the ‘government’s decision’, Sri Lanka Cricket wrote a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its stance on refusing to play the Men in Blue in the anticipated clash at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

In a letter to the PCB, SLC urged the board to reconsider its boycott stance, warning that non-participation in the clash against India could lead to significant financial losses, hurting Sri Lanka’s tourism and economy.

Sri Lanka Cricket further reminded Pakistan about the long-standing cricketing ties and past mutual support between the boards, urging them to look at the ‘border interests’ of the game.

"Any non-participation will have wide-ranging implications, including substantial financial exposure for SLC and the potential loss of anticipated tourism inflows," the SLC said.

“We urge you to take into account the exceptional circumstances, the enduring relationship between our two boards, and the broader interests of the game of cricket," the board added.

Since Sri Lanka is the co-host of the T20 World Cup 2026 alongside India, the clash between Team India and Pakistan will take place at a neutral venue, according to the pre-agreement between the BCCI, PCB, and ICC. Despite the scheduled fixture taking place in an island nation, Pakistan remains firm on its decision to boycott the India clash, citing government directives and solidarity with Bangladesh.

‘U-Turn’ Post Bangladesh Elections Predicted

Bangladesh is set to hold general elections on February 12, its first since the ouster of ince the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024 after a student-led uprising toppled her government. Former India pacer Chetan Sharma predicted that PCB may make a ‘U-turn’ on its stance over boycotting the India clash after the Bangladesh elections.

Speaking at an India Today event, Chetan stated that Pakistan is likely to reverse its stance after Bangladesh’s February 12 General Elections, explaining that the boycott is politically motivated and that, once the elections conclude, there will be a statement saying Pakistan will play against India, as cricket should be kept separate from politics.

“What was the Bangladesh players’ fault? None. This is politics. Bangladesh has elections on the 12th. After that, you’ll see a U-turn. There will be a statement saying, ‘Considering public sentiment, cricket shouldn’t suffer, Pakistan will play against India.’” The 1983 World Cup winner said.

“This stance is still about the Bangladesh election only. I’ve been a politician; I’ve contested elections. After the elections, maybe even the military chief will say sport should be kept free of politics and the match should go ahead,” he added.

Earlier, the PCB source stated that the chief, Mohsin Naqvi, is a politician more than a cricket administrator and is expected to reverse his stance after the Bangladesh elections, aware that only two days remain before the India clash and that Pakistan could face backlash if it maintains the boycott.

SLC Request Rejected by the PCB

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly received a letter from the Sri Lanka Cricket, which urged the board to reconsider its stance on boycotting the India clash, citing financial losses and impact on tourism. However, the PCB rejected the SLC’s request for reconsideration of the decision made by the government.

The source close to the PCB stated that the decision cannot be reversed, as the final call rests with the government.

“Yes, we have received the letter, but we can't overturn the government's decision. The call is firmly with the government,” the PCB source told Hindustan Times.

If Pakistan goes ahead with the PCB could face severe financial implications, including penalties, freezing of the annual share of revenue from ICC, and restrictions on overseas participation in domestic leagues such as the PSL. Additionally, Pakistan may lose rights to host the ICC tournaments in the future. The broadcasters are likely to sue PCB for breaching the contractual obligations.

As per the reports, the PCB’s share of annual revenue of $34.5 million will be paid to the broadcasters to cover their losses.