Pakistan to Boycott T20 World Cup Match Against India on February 15

Pakistan’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has been confirmed, but the team will not be playing its scheduled match against India on February 15th. According to a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the team will not take the field in the group stage match.

The decision comes after Bangladesh was removed from the tournament by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to logistical concerns over security. The ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, citing security issues raised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Pakistan’s PCB has expressed support for Bangladesh and stated that a final decision on their team’s participation will be made next week.

Pakistan’s matches in the tournament are scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka due to strained relations between India and Pakistan. The ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament was met with criticism, with some accusing the organization of applying “double standards”. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated that the ICC’s actions were unfair and that Pakistan will not participate in matches where security concerns are raised.

Pakistan’s team is currently scheduled to play its first match against the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka. If Pakistan boycotts its match against India, they will forfeit two points.

Source: Al Jazeera