Pakistan has decided not to play against India in the Men’s T20 World Cup match scheduled for February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The government granted conditional approval for the team’s participation in the tournament but specified that they would not compete against India.
The reason for this decision was not explicitly stated, but it is believed that Pakistan is showing solidarity with Bangladesh. Bangladesh was removed from the Men’s T20 World Cup due to security concerns in India and was replaced by Scotland in Group C.
The Pakistan Cricket Team received approval from the Government of Pakistan to participate in the ICC World T20 2026. However, they will not take the field against India on February 15, 2026. The final decision was made earlier than expected, leaving the tournament facing potential challenges, especially concerning the revenue generated from the anticipated match.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss Pakistan’s participation in the tournament. The decision on Pakistan’s involvement was initially expected between January 30 and February 2 but was announced earlier. This development led to the postponement of the team’s jersey reveal for the Men’s T20 World Cup until the participation decision was finalized.
Pakistan, the winners of the 2009 edition, are placed in Group A for the T20 World Cup along with India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA. The team, led by Salman Ali Agha, will kick off their campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7.
