Pakistan considers skipping India game at T20 World Cup; ICC awaits official word

In an unprecedented move, Pakistan on Sunday announced that it will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott its group-stage match against arch-rivals India.

The decision was taken by the Government of Pakistan following the International Cricket Council’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament after Dhaka raised security concerns about playing in India.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had backed Bangladesh during the ICC vote, in which member nations were asked to ratify the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request. Pakistan and Bangladesh were the only two countries to vote in favour of the proposal, while 14 other member nations rejected Bangladesh’s demand to shift its matches out of India.

What Pakistan said

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” the government said in a post on X. However, it added that “the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on February 15, 2026, against India.”

India–Pakistan controversy: a timeline

Relations between the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have remained strained since India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Tensions escalated further during the Asia Cup 2025, when Indian players declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts following the terror attack in Pahalgam.

The situation intensified after Bangladesh formally wrote to the ICC, stating that it would not travel to India due to alleged security concerns for its players.

Reports from Pakistan said the PCB subsequently reached out to Bangladesh, offering to host its matches. The PCB also adopted a hardline stance with the BCCI and the ICC, declining to confirm its own travel plans until February 1.