Argus News - Pakistan To Skip India Fixture In T20 World Cup

Islamabad, Feb 1: Pakistan will take part in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott its group-stage match against India, the government said on Sunday, marking an unprecedented move in international cricket.

The decision follows the International Cricket Council’s removal of Bangladesh from the tournament after Dhaka raised security concerns about playing matches in India. Pakistan supported Bangladesh during the ICC vote, becoming one of only two countries to back Dhaka’s request to shift matches out of India. Fourteen other member nations rejected the proposal.

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” the government said in a post on X. “However, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on February 15, 2026, against India.”

Also Read: India Boosts Aid For Nepal, Afghanistan; Trims Bangladesh Support

Tensions between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have remained high since India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Relations further deteriorated during the Asia Cup later that year, following a terror attack in Pahalgam, after which Indian players declined to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.