BREAKING: Pakistan Decides Not to Play India in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Pakistan Withdraws from India Fixture in ICC T20 World Cup 2026
by:- Aiiaz Rather
Srinagar, Feb 1: (JKNN)
Pakistan has officially decided not to play its scheduled ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, a move confirmed by the Government of Pakistan on Sunday evening. The high-voltage encounter was slated for February 15 during the group stage of the tournament.
According to an official government announcement, clearance has been granted for the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled from February 7 to March 8, 2026. However, participation will exclude the match against India.
The decision followed a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore. While the PCB had earlier kept its participation stance open, the government’s statement brought clarity ahead of the team’s departure to Sri Lanka, where Pakistan’s matches are scheduled to be held.
No specific reason was cited by the government for opting out of the February 15 fixture. However, the development comes amid PCB’s dissatisfaction with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over its handling of venue-related concerns raised on behalf of Bangladesh. The PCB had strongly opposed the ICC’s refusal to relocate Bangladesh’s World Cup matches from India, describing the decision as unfair.
Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside India, the USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The team will begin its
campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo, followed by encounters with the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18.
With the India–Pakistan clash being one of the most anticipated and commercially significant matches of the tournament, the forfeiture raises critical questions for the ICC regarding tournament regulations and future course of action. The cricketing world now awaits the ICC’s response to this unprecedented development.
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