Pakistan PM reveals why his country will not play against India in T20 WC 2026

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Wednesday, February 4, emphasized the country’s decision to boycott the group-stage match of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 against India, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo.

While addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad, Shehbaz confirmed that his nation has taken a ‘clear stand’ of not taking the field in the match against India, adding that the decision was taken after careful assessment.

"We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India. There should be no politics in sports. We have taken this stand after deliberating on it carefully," Pakistan PM said while addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad.

The Pakistan Government, on Sunday, February 1, announced that it decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the T20 World Cup. Later, the Pakistan government confirmed the news on social media that the Pakistan team "shall not take the field" against India.

Following this decision by Pakistan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a media release, stating that "selective participation" is not fair to the "fundamental premise of a global sporting event." However, there is no official communication from the PCB on this matter to the apex body.

"While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule," the ICC release said.

"While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan. The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country, as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of," the release added.

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