Pakistan Takes U-Turn, Confirms Participation In India Clash At T20 World Cup 2026

New Delhi: The drama that was going on in the cricket world for the last few days is now over. The India-Pakistan match is the biggest attraction in the T20 World Cup 2026. But then the news came that Pakistan may withdraw from this match. But now Pakistan has decided to play. Fans are just waiting for 15th February.

Why did Pakistan reject the match earlier?

On February 1, suddenly the Pakistan government announced that the team would not play against India. The reason given was political and diplomatic—to show a kind of solidarity when Bangladesh was out of the tournament. There was an uproar on social media, crores of fans were disappointed, there was a possibility of the tournament schedule getting spoiled, and the biggest thing – cricket's biggest blockbuster match could have been cancelled. A major part of ICC's earnings is related to this match, broadcast deals worth crores and trillions.

Then why did the government change its stance?

What happened after that? The Pakistani government took a U-turn. The official statement came on the night of 9 February—the team will be playing at R.K. Colombo in Colombo on 15 February. Will take the field at Premadasa Stadium. The reason given was that sports should be kept above politics, the spirit of cricket has to be saved, and continuity of the tournament is necessary. PM Shahbaz Sharif himself took the decision.

Did other countries also try to persuade?

A lot of negotiations went on behind this. ICC, PCB and BCB meetings were held in Lahore. Bangladesh Cricket Board appealed that the entire cricket ecosystem will be affected. Countries like Sri Lanka (co-host) and UAE also explained to Pakistan that everyone will suffer financial loss. ICC also put pressure on all members to fulfill their commitments. Ultimately, the government agreed to the requests of foreign countries and friendly countries.

What will happen next

Now there's a relief—the match is on! India-Pakistan is not just cricket, it is passion. Lights in the stadium, channels on TV, memes on social media—everything is ready. With the inclusion of Scotland after Bangladesh's exclusion, the tournament remained balanced. Overall, cricket won. Now all eyes are on February 15 – who will win? Excitement is already high!