Pakistan forfeit T20 World Cup match against India. The team won’t take the field against the arch-rival, the government announces.
Pakistan won’t pull out of the upcoming T20 World Cup set to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, but the team won’t be taking the field against arch-rival India on February 15 in Colombo. The decision was confirmed by the Pakistan government on Sunday following a meeting between the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. Ever since the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the 20-team tournament, the PCB chief upped his charge against the world body, arguing that Bangladesh were treated unfairly.
Earlier this week, Naqvi met with Sharif, and it was then that he announced that the final decision on Pakistan’s participation would be taken on either Friday, January 30, or Monday, February 2. However, the verdict was announced a day earlier, and the bombshell call to boycott the marquee fixture against the arch-rival, which was to be played in Colombo, was made.
The official X handle of the Government of Pakistan announced the decision, saying, “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.”
According to reports within Pakistani media, the meeting between Naqvi and the Pakistani PM began at 6:30 PM IST.
Earlier, Pakistan had also postponed the team’s jersey reveal for the World Cup, and it was reported that the event would take place once the verdict on the team’s participation in the 10th edition of the tournament is announced.
Pakistan are in Group A for the T20 World Cup alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA. The team led by Salman Ali Agha will begin their campaign on the opening day of the tournament (February 7) against the Dutch.
