Pakistan to skip match against India as govt approves World Cup participation
- Green Shirts to boycott high-octane clash on Feb 15 in Colombo in solidarity with Bangladesh
In a significant development, the government of Pakistan has allowed the national cricket team to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, while barring the team from playing its scheduled match against India on February 15.
The decision followed a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday to deliberate on Pakistan’s involvement in the tournament.
According to an official statement, the Green Shirts will compete in the mega event but will boycott the high-octane clash in Colombo as a mark of protest and solidarity with Bangladesh.
The move stems from a three-week dispute between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Alleging that the ICC acted under the influence of the Indian board by rejecting Bangladesh’s legitimate demands and subsequently replacing them with Scotland, Pakistan has opted for a partial boycott.
This follows reports of threats from Hindu extremists regarding Bangladesh’s scheduled matches in Kolkata and the controversial removal of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL.
Placed in Group A alongside the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia, Pakistan is set to open its campaign on February 7, with the squad expected to depart for Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Monday (tomorrow) ahead of the tournament’s commencement on February 6.
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