Pakistan will not play their scheduled match against India at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, as they have decided to boycott the highly anticipated showdown. The development follows a statement issued through the Government of Pakistan’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, which confirmed that the national team has been granted permission to travel to Sri Lanka for the competition. Notably, India and Pakistan were set to lock horns in their Group A fixture on February 15 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
"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 statement said.
Pakistan’s participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup had already been under scrutiny in recent weeks. The uncertainty intensified after remarks by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who had said that the tournament’s evolving circumstances could affect Pakistan’s involvement.
His remarks came in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s removal from the competition on January 24. Bangladesh were excluded after refusing to play matches in India, citing security concerns. Nevertheless, Pakistan have decided not to withdraw from the tournament, but they will boycott the showdown against India. Meanwhile, Pakistan have not explained why they would boycott the high-profile fixture against India.