Report: ICC to Ban Pakistan From International Cricket Amid India Game Boycott?

According to a source, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will decide if Pakistan can participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2026. While Pakistan will participate in the competition, the selective refusal to play India has generated anger. The decision has reportedly not been well received by member boards, and there is now significant discussion over Pakistan's potential ban from international cricket.

PTI quotes an ICC source saying, “The PCB hasn’t yet officially informed ICC, but since there has been an official announcement, the ICC is expected to take some stringent actions. The ICC board will be meeting tomorrow (Monday) virtually and will decide whether Pakistan should be allowed to play in the tournament. In case they are allowed, there could be some strict punishment for PCB."

India Game Boycott Controversy:

The International Cricket Council has released a statement regarding Pakistan’s decision to boycott their Group A stage clash against India in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The ICC noted that selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the principles of a… pic.twitter.com/tIbq44XcRA

— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) February 2, 2026

Pakistan’s decision comes from the ICC’s earlier measure to exclude Bangladesh from the 2026 T20 World Cup after they declined to play matches in India, citing security concerns. At the ICC Board meeting, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was the only member to support Bangladesh and accused the governing body of favouring India.

Following this, the Pakistani government permitted participation in the World Cup but told the squad not to play India in the February 15 group-stage clash in Colombo. Notably, the team will still travel to Sri Lanka and play the rest of their Group A matchups, making the boycott selective rather than a wholesale withdrawal.

Following Pakistan's ruling, the ICC is anticipated to take a number of severe actions. These include severe financial penalties and a potential suspension from the upcoming competition. Top member nations might refuse to play bilateral series with Pakistan, and outside players could be banned from the Pakistan Super League (PSL). ICC member boards declining to visit Pakistan for the bilateral series is one possible punishment for PCB. Even if played, the outcomes might not affect ICC rankings. Pakistan can also lose points in the World Test Championship (WTC).

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