T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan to not participate in IND vs PAK match, says Shehbaz Sharif govt

The Pakistan government on Sunday said that the Pakistani cricket team, led by Salman Ali Agha, would not participate in the February 15 match against India, led by Suryakumar Yadav. The Shehbaz Sharif government, however, cleared the team's participation for the other matches in the international tournament. 

The directive was formally conveyed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), leaving little room for any negotiations.

"The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026. However, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15 February 2026, against India," the government said in an official statement.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha confirmed the decision was beyond the team’s control. 

"We are definitely going for the World Cup. That is not our decision. We can’t do anything. What our government, our (PCB) chairman says, we have to do that. So what they tell us we’ll do that," he said.

The PCB has not officially confirmed the boycott.

Meanwhile, there has been no update from the International Cricket Council (ICC) so far.

However, it expressed concern over the broader implications. “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 said.

Parallels drawn from Bangladesh

The situation has drawn comparisons to Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from a tournament over player safety concerns, which led to Scotland stepping in as a replacement. Some Pakistan fans have echoed that precedent. “If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” a fan said.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, however, downplayed the impact of a potential no-show. “India-Pakistan match, if it does not happen, no big deal,” he wrote on Instagram. “For a long time now, the actual game has never lived up to the hype. India and Pakistan are not in the same league anymore.”

For the PCB, the move is seen as largely symbolic rather than competitive, even though forfeiting the match would likely cost Pakistan crucial group-stage points.