Publish Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2026 (10:05 IST)
Updated Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2026 (10:05 IST)
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated his country’s decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India, stating that Pakistan has taken a clear stand on the fixture scheduled for February 15 in Sri Lanka.
According to a report by Pakistani daily Dawn, Sharif made the remarks while addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad. He said Pakistan would not play against India in the T20 World Cup.
The Prime Minister said the decision to boycott the match was taken after careful assessment. Emphasising that sports should not be mixed with politics, Sharif said Pakistan should stand firmly with Bangladesh, calling the move “appropriate and justified.”
Last month, Bangladesh had refused to play its T20 World Cup matches in India citing security concerns, following which Scotland was included in the tournament as a replacement. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi had criticised the ICC’s decision, calling it a case of double standards.
On February 1, the Pakistan government officially announced that the national team would boycott the February 15 T20 World Cup match against India. However, the Indian team will still travel to Colombo for the fixture. If Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha does not come out for the toss, the match referee will award a walkover to India, earning them two points.
So far, the PCB has not formally informed the ICC about the boycott, leading to uncertainty over the situation. The ICC is awaiting an official communication from Pakistan before deciding on further action.
Pakistan’s record against India in the ICC T20 World Cup has been poor. The two teams have faced each other eight times, with India winning seven matches and Pakistan managing just one victory.
