Pakistan Confirms T20 World Cup 2026 Participation, Will Skip Match Against India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal government has confirmed that the national men’s cricket team will take part in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but will abstain from playing its group-stage fixture against India, set for February 15.
The decision was formally communicated via the Government of Pakistan’s official account on X.
In its statement, the government said it had authorized Pakistan’s participation in the tournament but clarified that the team would not appear in the scheduled match against India on February 15, 2026.
The move is widely seen as an attempt to financially pressure the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had sharply criticized the ICC last week, accusing it of applying unequal standards and alleging that it operates under the influence of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The announcement followed shortly after a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Naqvi concluded in Islamabad.
Naqvi had previously met the prime minister last month to discuss Pakistan’s stance on the 2026 T20 World Cup, indicating at the time that a final decision would be revealed by January 30 or early February.
Pakistan’s participation in the 20-team tournament—scheduled to begin on February 7—had come under review after the ICC recently replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. This change followed Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India for the event.
Earlier in the month, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) opted out after IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, reportedly following instructions from the BCCI.
Despite multiple rounds of discussions between the stakeholders, no agreement was reached. The ICC ultimately rejected Bangladesh’s request to reconsider, maintaining the original schedule and issuing a 24-hour deadline before finalizing its decision.
