Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has called for sportsmanship when India and Pakistan meet in the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 15 in Colombo, after a long standoff over the high-profile fixture was finally resolved. The much-anticipated clash will now go ahead as scheduled, following the Pakistan government’s decision to reverse their call to boycott the match. The deadlock between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) had cast uncertainty over the marquee showdown. However, diplomatic efforts and persuasion from fellow cricketing boards Bangladesh and Sri Lanka helped ease the impasse.
"Whenever there is talk about an India–Pakistan match, I have always been in favour of it because this is that match, that rivalry, which inspires the entire world. I truly hope the match happens — God willing. And it’s not just about this one game. I’m not into this match alone. What I want is for India–Pakistan matches to happen on a routine basis, with politics kept out of it forever," Hafeez said on Tapmad.
Hafeez said that matches between the two nations are among the most anticipated events in world cricket and should be viewed as an opportunity to uplift the spirit. Notably, the bilateral series between India and Pakistan has remained suspended in recent years due to political tensions.
"Both countries should be allowed to fully play the role they can in growing and spreading the game, and cricket should never be stopped because of politics. Secondly, whatever scenario emerges regarding an India-Pakistan match, we must always keep the integrity and spirit of the game at the highest level. Whenever this match is played – if it happens on the 15th – it should be played with complete sportsmanship," Hafeez said.