Pakistan PM Confirms Boycott Of India Match In T20 World Cup 2026

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday once again confirmed the country's decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India and further said that "there should be no politics on the sports field".

What did Shehbaz Sharif say?

While addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad, the Pakistan Prime Minister said that it's decision to boycott the game against India at the men's T20 World Cup 2026 was a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, after their removal from the tournament. 

Shehbaz Sharif said that the decision was made after a detailed assessment and careful deliberation.

"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," Sharif. 

Calling it an "appropriate decision", he said that, "We have taken this stand after deliberating on it carefully."

"We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision," the Pakistan Prime Minister further said.

When is the match?

The Pakistan will not play the group match against India on February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, which  means the team will remain in the tournament but will stay away from this high-voltage match.

Following the group-stage fixture, the two teams could be up against each other in the final as well. 

What did the Pakistan government say?

The Pakistan government on Sunday said that while the team would participate in the T20 World Cup, it would not take the field in the February 15 group game against India. 

This announcement was made via a tweet from the official X handle of the Government of Pakistan. It stated, "The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan approves the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026; however, the Pakistan cricket team will not play the match scheduled against India on February 15, 2026."

This move is believed to be part of a strategy to inflict financial damage on the International Cricket Council (ICC). Recently, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi accused the ICC of adopting a double standard and said that the organization was working under the influence of the BCCI.