In a big development ahead ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026Pakistan has officially announced that they will not play in the much-anticipated group stage match against India scheduled for February 15. The decision was confirmed in a statement released by the Pakistani government on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, ending days of speculation over Pakistan’s participation in the tournament.
An official government statement confirms Pakistan’s partial participation
The government’s letter made it clear that while the Pakistan team was allowed to travel and compete in the tournament, an exception was made for the match against India.
“Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan gives permission to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, but the Pakistan Cricket Team will not appear in the scheduled match against India on February 15, 2026,” the statement said.
It should be noted that the announcement did not give any specific reason for refusing to play high-level fixtures.
Background: Bangladesh exit and rising tensions
Pakistan’s stance came after Bangladesh were kicked out of the tournament on January 24 after they refused to play in India due to security concerns. Pakistan was the only country to publicly support Bangladesh’s demand for alternative venues, which drew sharp criticism from the ICC.
After Bangladesh’s elimination, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi accused the ICC of double standards favoring India. Naqvi said at the time that Pakistan’s participation would ultimately depend on the government’s decision.
Two days after the Bangladesh coup, Naqvi met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after which he said all options were being considered. Naqvi suggested that a final decision would be made “Friday or next Monday.”
With the government’s announcement a day before this unofficial deadline, it now appears that Pakistan has opted for a middle ground – participating in the tournament but boycotting the India match.
In recent days, there has been speculation that Pakistan may not leave the World Cup altogether. This belief got a boost after the PCB named a squad within the ICC-mandated time frame. Additionally, a statement that was briefly released and later deleted suggested that Pakistan travel to Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament with India.
Pakistan Group A Matches and Scores Results
Pakistan has been placed in Group A with India, Namibia, Netherlands and USA. All Pakistan’s matches are scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka. Their campaign begins against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by matches against the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18.
By boycotting the India match, Pakistan will lose two points from that match. According to ICC’s Playing Conditions, this forfeit will also adversely affect Pakistan’s net run rate, while India’s net run rate will remain unaffected.
Clause 16.10.7 states that in the event of a defeat, the defaulting team’s full quota of 20 overs will count towards net run rate calculations, effectively penalizing Pakistan in the group standings.
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