Islamabad: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a strong warning to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the Pakistan government’s announcement to boycott the upcoming T20 Cricket World Cup group match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The global cricket body cautioned that such a decision could have serious long-term consequences for cricket in Pakistan and may impact the wider international cricket ecosystem.
Reacting to the development, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla told ANI that the ICC has emphasized the spirit of the game in its statement. “The ICC has issued a major statement highlighting the importance of sportsmanship. We fully agree with the ICC. Without discussing the matter with the ICC, we cannot comment further,” he said.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha, however, distanced the team from the decision, stating that the choice to not play India was not in the players’ hands. “We are definitely participating in the ICC T20 World Cup, but the decision regarding the match against India is not ours. We have to follow what our government and PCB chairman decide,” he said.
Speculation has intensified over possible sanctions against the PCB if Pakistan proceeds with the boycott. While discussions on sanctions typically take place at ICC board meetings—attended by 12 full members, three associate representatives, and the ICC chairman—no emergency meeting has yet been announced. It is also unlikely that the PCB will submit a formal written explanation to the ICC regarding the government’s stance.
The ICC, in its official statement issued hours after a post by the Pakistan government on social media platform X, urged the PCB to consider the long-term impact of its decision. “We hope the PCB will carefully assess the consequences of such a move on cricket in Pakistan, as well as on the global cricket ecosystem, of which Pakistan has been a key member and beneficiary,” the statement said.
India–Pakistan matches are among the most-watched and commercially successful fixtures in ICC tournaments. Since 2012, the ICC has consistently placed the two teams in the same group in major events, despite the absence of bilateral series between the two nations for over a decade due to strained diplomatic relations.
In the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan has been placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA. Pakistan is scheduled to play all its group matches in Sri Lanka, starting against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by the USA on February 10, India on February 15, and Namibia on February 18. If Pakistan boycotts the match against India, it will forfeit two points, which will be awarded to India, with no negative impact on India’s net run rate.
Uncertainty around Pakistan’s participation had earlier deepened after Bangladesh was excluded from the tournament on January 24 for refusing to play in India citing security concerns—a move openly supported by Pakistan. Following Bangladesh’s exit, the PCB accused the ICC of adopting double standards. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had then stated that the final decision on participation would rest with the Pakistani government.
The ICC has reiterated its expectation that the PCB will work with all stakeholders to find a mutually agreeable solution that upholds the spirit of the game and safeguards the future of international cricket.
