Pakistan have decided to boycott their highly anticipated match against arch-rivals India at the ICC T20I World Cup 2026. The decision, taken at the last moment, has triggered a wave of discussion. The matches between India and Pakistan are global spectacles, drawing millions of viewers, and a boycott by Pakistan throws the tournament into disruption. Pakistan were scheduled to face India in Colombo on February 15.
Pakistan's decision comes in light of the controversy involving Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament after Bangladesh refused to play matches in India on security grounds when their matches were scheduled there. Pakistan had publicly backed Bangladesh in seeking alternate venues, alleging double standards by the ICC, which rejected the request. Sharing his views on Pakistan's decision, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said that the ICC should take strong action against Pakistan.
"Definitely, I think if you withdraw at the last moment, that is an issue. If you withdraw earlier on, that's another matter altogether. But if you withdraw at the last moment, on the eve of the tournament, then yes, I think certainly the ICC should come in and take some action. I don't know what action they will take, but I think there are so many other boards involved, so it's not just going to be one person's decision. However, it should be something that ensures no other team in the future also considers doing that," Gavaskar told India Today.
Reacting to Pakistan's decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) also expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s selective participation, warning that a boycott undermines the “integrity of global competition” and could have long-term implications for world cricket. Pakistan are in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026, drawn alongside India, Namibia, USA and the Netherlands.