Pakistan to get these punishments for deciding to boycott 2026 T20 World Cup against India, it includes…
Pakistan is boycotting their planned game against India at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on February 15. This follows the national leaders giving the squad a limited “okay” to take part in the global competition.
What is the official announcement?
“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 15th February 2026 against India,” said the government’s official account on ‘X’ account.
What is the reason for boycotting the match against India?
The official announcement didn’t give a specific reason for the move. However, many believe Pakistan is skipping the match against India to support Bangladesh.
Bangladesh were kicked out of the Men’s T20 World Cup after they asked to move their games away from India due to safety fears. Because they wouldn’t travel there, the ICC removed them and gave their spot in Group C to Scotland.
What punishments can Pakistan get after boycotting T20 World Cup match against India?
Matches between India and Pakistan are the biggest events in cricket, bringing in the most viewers, sponsors and money worldwide. By skipping this game, Pakistan creates a huge mess for the ICC, since they planned the entire tournament’s schedule and business deals around this one massive meeting.
Interestingly, the cricket boards of India and Pakistan, along with the ICC, have an existing three-way deal. This agreement ensures that all their matches until 2027 take place in neutral countries.
If Pakistan doesn’t show up, India will automatically get the win points. However, the consequences for Pakistan could be much worse. Reports suggest the TV broadcasters might sue for up to 38 million dollars (Rs 315 crore to Rs 319 crore) in lost income. If that happens, the ICC could pass that massive bill to Pakistan, fine them even more, or even ban them from future tournaments.
How will Pakistan start the tournament?
Pakistan is set to start its tournament against the Netherlands on February 7. They will then play the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18. Every one of these games is taking place at the SSC ground in Colombo.
The current tension comes from the ICC’s move to kick Bangladesh out of the competition. This happened because Bangladesh refused to accept safety promises for playing in India and instead demanded that all their matches be moved to Sri Lanka.