The Pakistani government has made it clear that its team will not play the match against India scheduled for February 15 in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
This information was conveyed by the Pakistani government through an official statement released on the social media platform X.
Although the Pakistan cricket team has been granted permission to travel to Sri Lanka for the entire tournament, the decision has been made to withdraw from the group stage match against India.
The government has not officially stated the reason behind this decision, but it has stirred up considerable controversy in both the cricketing and political spheres.
Government Statement Brings Clarity
The government statement clearly stated, “The government of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on February 15, 2026, against India.”
This match between India and Pakistan was scheduled to be played in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with both teams facing each other in Group A. This decision has now left the match in limbo.
According to a report by TimesofIndia.com, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) of this decision.
Therefore, it remains to be seen what the ICC’s next course of action will be.
Terror Attack Link and PCB’s Stand
Although the government has not provided a reason, it is believed that this decision may be linked to the recent terrorist attack in Balochistan. Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi blamed India for this attack.
According to the ISPR, 92 terrorists were killed in the retaliatory operation, while 18 civilians and 15 security personnel lost their lives in the violence.
Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had also raised questions about Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, especially after Bangladesh was withdrawn from the tournament on January 24 due to security concerns.
Pakistan was the only country that supported Bangladesh’s demand for a neutral venue and accused the ICC of applying double standards in favor of India.
After meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi had said that all options would be kept open and a decision would be made by “Friday or next Monday”.
Now, the government’s statement has made it clear that the match against India will not be played.
