Pakistan's Decision To Boycott India Match Not In Cricket's Interest, Says ICC

NEW DELHI, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday said Pakistan's decision to boycott its T20 World Cup group match against India in Colombo did not serve the interests of the game.

The Pakistan government said it had approved the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

However, the team "shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India," it said in a statement on Sunday.

It did not give the reason why Pakistan would not play the match.

The ICC said "this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event" and "undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions."

Pakistan's decision came after days of speculation whether it would stay away from the event following the ICC's rejection of Bangladesh's request to shift the team's matches from India to Sri Lanka due to security fears.

"While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan," the ICC said in its statement.

Pakistan, which will play its matches in Sri Lanka, earlier backed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) position and the safety concerns of Bangladeshi players about playing in India.

There was uproar in Bangladesh last month after national team player Mustafizur Rahman was controversially dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) upon instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Bangladesh interim government Foreign Advisor Mohammad Touhid Hossain earlier said the issue of Pakistan's participation in the ICC tournament was its internal matter.

"Pakistan never said they would not play (in the World Cup); they said they would consider it. Our decision not to play in India is our own, and whether Pakistan plays or not is entirely up to them," Touhid told Bangladeshi media on Sunday.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the country's Interior Minister, on January 26 briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on "the recent developments" related to the ICC T20 World Cup and Bangladesh.

Pakistan and India have not played a bilateral series for more than 12 years and now play their matches in international events at neutral venues.

The BCCI follows the Indian government's guidance in cricketing ties with the arch-rival.

-- BERNAMA