ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 (ABC): Pakistan has decided to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott its scheduled group-stage match against India, citing concerns over the International Cricket Council’s handling of Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament, official sources said on Sunday.
The decision was taken following a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi amid rising regional tensions in South Asian cricket.
In a post on X, the government said it had approved Pakistan’s participation in the tournament but barred the team from taking the field in the match scheduled for February 15, 2026, against India.
Solidarity with Bangladesh cited as key reason
Government sources said the decision was intended as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh following what Pakistan views as unfair treatment of the Bangladesh Cricket Board by the ICC.
According to the sources, Pakistan’s protest targets the ICC’s refusal to relocate Bangladesh’s matches outside India despite security and political concerns raised by Dhaka. They said the Pakistan team was instructed not to play against India as a form of symbolic protest rather than a withdrawal from the tournament.
Officials also alleged that recent decisions by the ICC leadership had undermined the principles of neutrality and equal treatment among member boards.
Allegations of ICC bias
Sources accused ICC chairman Jay Shah of adopting decisions that favoured the Indian cricket board, claiming this had weakened confidence in the governing body’s impartiality.
They said such actions had effectively created different standards for different countries, particularly in the treatment of smaller cricketing nations.
PCB and captain support government stance
Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali Agha backed the government’s decision, saying the team would follow instructions issued by the cricket board.
“We are going to the World Cup, and we will do whatever our cricket board instructs us to do,” he said during a post-match press conference in Lahore after Pakistan completed a T20I series sweep against Australia.
He added that the decision not to play India was taken at the government level.
Bangladesh replaced by Scotland
The controversy emerged after the ICC rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to move its matches to a neutral venue outside India.
Bangladesh had raised concerns following the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League on the instructions of the Indian cricket board, a move that triggered strong reaction in Dhaka.
Last week, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, saying it was not feasible to revise the tournament schedule so close to the February 7 start of the World Cup.
Matches to be played at neutral venue
Under an existing arrangement between Pakistan and India, both teams play ICC fixtures at neutral venues due to bilateral tensions.
As part of this arrangement, Pakistan’s matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup will be held in Sri Lanka, even though the tournament is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan have been drawn in the same group as defending champions India but will not face them on February 15 as originally scheduled.
ICC response awaited
The decision has raised questions over possible financial and legal implications, including potential revenue losses for broadcasters if the high-profile match does not take place.
The ICC has not yet issued an official response to Pakistan’s announcement.
The Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to begin on February 7, with regional tensions adding a new layer of uncertainty to the tournament’s proceedings.