Pakistan to Boycott T20 World Cup 2026 Match Against India in Colombo
Pakistan will boycott their T20 World Cup 2026 group match vs India in Colombo but will play the rest of the tournament.
Pakistan will boycott their T20 World Cup 2026 group match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, after a decision taken by the Pakistan government.
The Salman Ali Agha-led side has been cleared to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament but will not take the field only for the high-profile India clash. No official reason has been announced yet for refusing to play that match.
The government confirmed that Pakistan’s participation in the rest of the World Cup will continue as planned. The team will begin its campaign on February 7 in Colombo and will also play a warm-up game against Ireland before the tournament starts.
This decision follows weeks of tension involving the International Cricket Council and regional boards. Pakistan had earlier raised strong objections after Bangladesh were expelled from the tournament for refusing to travel to India and demanding neutral venues.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had backed Bangladesh’s demand and accused the ICC of applying double standards that favour India. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had publicly questioned Pakistan’s own participation if Bangladesh were punished for similar concerns.
Despite those concerns, the Pakistan government has opted for a partial boycott rather than a full withdrawal. By skipping only the India fixture, Pakistan is signalling protest while avoiding the wider consequences of pulling out of the tournament.
Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, Netherlands and USA. Apart from the India game, the team is expected to play all its remaining group matches as scheduled in Sri Lanka.
The decision comes as Pakistan looks to recover from a disappointing last T20 World Cup. Confidence within the camp has improved after a recent 3–0 home T20I series win over Australia, which has lifted morale ahead of the global event.
The boycott adds another layer of uncertainty to an already tense tournament, with the ICC yet to announce how the India-Pakistan match will be officially recorded or whether penalties will follow.
