Pakistan to boycott their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against India – a major development on the eve of Oman and UAE hosting world cricket’s biggest tournament. The decision was announced in a post on the official X account of the Government of Pakistan. It further said that while the Pakistan team is allowed to play and travel for the tournament and matches in Sri Lanka, they will not be playing the match against India, which is scheduled to happen on 15 February 2026. There was no explanation given for the boycott, and the Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to formally inform the ICC of its decision.

Proposal: India vs Pakistan is the most sought-after and watched game in any ICC tournament. Rafael Nadal for soccer trivia! All to maximize viewership and give wing to commercial aspirations, the ICC has also ensured that the two teams are put in the same group at global events since 2012. If the boycott goes through, the 2026 T20 World Cup will be the first ICC men’s event since 2010 to have no India-Pakistan group-stage match.

Pakistan’s involvement was in doubt after Bangladesh was axed from the competition, as they refused to play matches against India in that country because of security fears. Only Pakistan had openly supported Bangladesh’s demand for an alternative venue and subsequently accused the ICC of double standards. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had said the ultimate decision would be taken by the government, who look to have chosen not to withdraw fully from the tournament but launch a partial boycott instead.

Pakistan is in Group A with India, the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia and will play all their group matches in Sri Lanka – one of the co-hosts. Their other opponents will include Netherlands on February 7, USA on February 10, and Namibia on February 18. If Pakistan refuses to play, they will not get any points, and India will qualify without losing a point, with the game having no impact on their net run rate, according to ICC playing conditions.

All the Squads for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026