Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has confirmed Pakistan will boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh, removed after refusing to play in India. The ICC has warned the PCB of serious consequences over the move.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again confirmed that the national team will not play Team India in the anticipated clash at the T20 World Cup 2026.
The second official confirmation came after his government ordered the Pakistan cricket team not to take the field against the Men in Blue, while allowing the Salman Ali Agha-led side to play the remaining group-stage fixtures in Sri Lanka, the co-host of the tournament alongside India.
Pakistan’s stance on boycotting the clash against Team India is politically driven rather than a cricketing concern, as it is a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the marquee event after refusing to play their group-stage matches in India. Scotland replaced Bangladesh in Group C, which also includes England, the West Indies, Nepal, and Italy.
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In fact, Pakistan was the only member to vote in favour of Bangladesh’s request for a change of venue from India to Sri Lanka due to security reasons, while the rest of the ICC board rejected the proposal and maintained the original schedule. Later, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi criticised the world governing body of cricket for its perceived treatment of Bangladesh.
‘Field of Play, Not Politics’
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed his government’s decision to boycott the February 15 clash against Team India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Since Sri Lanka is the co-host of the T20 World Cup, India and Pakistan are originally scheduled to play at a neutral venue rather than in India as per the pre-agreement between BCCI, PCB, and ICC.
Addressing the Federal Cabinet Meeting in Islamabad, Sharif justified that the boycott of the clash against Team India was a ‘field of play’ rather than politics, while extending Pakistan’s solidarity with Bangladesh.
“We have taken a very clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play a match against India because Pakistan has said that this is a field of play, not politics,” Sharif said.
“There should be no politics in the field of play. We have taken a stand with a lot of thought, and we should stand with Bangladesh in this regard. I think this is the right decision,” he added.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier threatened to withdraw from the entire T20 World Cup 2026 in solidarity with Bangladesh, but later reversed to boycotting the India clash and playing the remaining group-stage fixtures of the marquee event. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement reflects Pakistan’s directive to its country’s cricket board last week, following the meeting with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
Why Not Boycott the Entire T20 World Cup?
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official statement on boycotting the India clash was met with trolling and criticism on social media, with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning the logic behind boycotting a single match and playing the remaining fixtures of the marquee event.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts sharply criticized as well as mocked Pakistan’s decision, questioning them for not withdrawing the tournament entirely as an act of solidarity with Bangladesh, and accused the PCB and the government of hypocrisy, claiming the move is a fear of losing to India. While others dismissed the government’s stance as a symbolic rather than a genuine gesture.
India and Pakistan’s cricketing encounters have been restricted to ACC and ICC tournaments after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) indefinitely suspended the bilateral series following the 2016 Uri Attack.
After the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, prompting the BCCI to reiterate that no bilateral cricket would be played with Pakistan and further hardening the diplomatic and sporting divide between the two nations. However, the BCCI agreed to allow Team India to play Pakistan in ICC and ACC tournaments.
Did Pakistan Ignore ICC Warning?
After the Government of Pakistan put out its first official statement on boycott Team India clash at the T20 World Cup 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) slammed the decision, saying, ‘selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of global competitions’, and urged Pakistan to reconsider its stance while warning the PCB of ‘significant long-term implications’ for the country’s cricket if the boycott goes ahead.
Since Pakistan’s stance does not come under the ICC-approved exemption, PCB could face strained relationships with other boards and limited influence in ICC decisions, affecting future series and player opportunities.
It was reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board 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. Therefore, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s official confirmation of the India clash is expected to have bigger consequences for the PCB, financially and diplomatically, while the board has not officially provided a formal explanation of the ICC on their stance.
