By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The government has approved Pakistan’s cricket team’s participation in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup but barred it from playing a scheduled group stage match against arch-rivals India, setting up a potential clash with the sport’s governing body over the tournament’s hosting arrangements
The announcement came on Sunday via a post on the government’s official X account, ending a week of uncertainty amid speculation that Pakistan might boycott the entire tournament following Bangladesh’s withdrawal over security concerns related to matches in India.
“The government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the post said.
The decision followed a meeting on last Monday between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as questions mounted over Pakistan’s involvement after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland on Jan. 24. Naqvi, after briefing Sharif on the ICC matter, told reporters a final decision would come either on Friday or the following Monday.
Bangladesh had pulled out citing safety concerns over travelling to India amid strained political relations between the two countries, after the ICC rejected their request to shift matches to co-host Sri Lanka, deeming it unfeasible so close to the tournament’s Feb. 7 start. Hours before the ICC’s announcement on Bangladesh, Naqvi had publicly backed Dhaka, saying Bangladesh was being treated unfairly and should be allowed to compete. He added at the time that Pakistan’s own participation remained unconfirmed, pending Sharif’s return to the country.
Political tensions between Pakistan and India have long limited their cricket encounters to major international tournaments, with no bilateral series since 2013 and India not touring Pakistan since 2008. Under a 2023 agreement, the two sides are to play at neutral venues when one hosts an ICC event, leading to the Feb. 15 fixture being set in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The ICC responded to Pakistan’s stance in a statement, describing it as “difficult to reconcile” with the principles of a global event and urging the PCB to seek a “mutually acceptable resolution.” “This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,” the ICC said. “Selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”
The governing body added that it respected governments’ roles in national policy but noted the decision was “not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.” It expressed hope the PCB would consider “the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country.” The ICC has not yet released playing conditions for the 2026 tournament, leaving unclear any sanctions for boycotting a match. In the previous edition, rules stated that a team conceding or refusing to play would result in the match being awarded to the opponent.
Pakistan had named its squad for the 20-team event last month, subject to government clearance, and enters the competition on a high after sweeping Australia 3-0 in a T20 series, capped by a 111-run victory on Sunday.
The government statement did not provide a reason for skipping the India match, and it is understood that the PCB has yet to formally notify the ICC. Pakistan accused the ICC of double standards favouring India after Bangladesh’s removal, with Naqvi earlier saying Sharif had advised keeping all options open. Speculation grew that Pakistan would avoid a full boycott, focusing instead on the India game, especially after the PCB briefly released – then deleted – a statement confirming travel to Sri Lanka. The India-Pakistan clash is typically the most lucrative and viewed fixture in ICC events, prompting the body to group the teams together since 2012 despite diplomatic strains.
The 2026 tournament could mark the first men’s ICC event without a group stage meeting between them since 2010. There has been no indication of what would happen if the sides met in the knockout stages. Pakistan is in Group A with India, Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States, playing all matches in Sri Lanka. Its opener is against the Netherlands on Feb. 7, followed by the U.S. on Feb. 10 and Namibia on Feb. 18. A boycott would mean forfeiting two points from the India game, with ICC playing conditions stating the defaulting team’s net run rate would be impacted by counting a full 20 overs against it in calculations, while the opponent’s remains unaffected.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
