In a major escalation ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has publicly justified the PCB’s decision to boycott Pakistan’s group-stage match against India, saying it was taken to show solidarity with Bangladesh, which was controversially excluded from the tournament.
Pakistan and India are in the same group. They will begin their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7. All Pakistan matches will be played in Sri Lanka, a co-host of the T20 World Cup.
What the Pakistan PM said on boycotting the T20 World Cup match against India
Addressing Pakistan’s federal cabinet in Islamabad, Sharif emphasised that the move was a carefully considered stance and insisted that politics should not influence sports, even as the decision itself was undeniably political.
Here’s what Sharif said (via ESPN cricinfo):
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision.”
The boycott centres on Bangladesh’s removal from the T20 World Cup after its government refused to allow the team to travel to India for scheduled matches due to security concerns, and after a request to relocate those games to co-host Sri Lanka, which the ICC rejected.
Pakistan accused the ICC and cricketing authorities of double standards in sidelining Bangladesh and has framed its boycott as a protest against that perceived injustice.
Implications on the T20 World Cup and Cricket Politics
The boycott raises significant sporting and diplomatic questions. India has confirmed it will travel to Colombo for the match scheduled for Sunday, February 15, meaning Pakistan’s absence effectively hands India a walkover, affecting group standings and Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the Super 8 round.
The ICC has warned Pakistan about potential sanctions and the broader impact of withdrawing from a scheduled match in an ICC tournament.
After Bangladesh refused to travel to India for their group matches, Scotland replaced them in the tournament. Scotland is in Group C, which includes two-time T20 World Cup champions West Indies and England, Nepal, and Italy.
The defending champion, India, will open its campaign against the USA on Sunday, February 7. The match will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and begin at 7 pm IST.
