T20 World Cup: Pakistan officially withdraw boycott of India match
What's the story
Team Pakistan has officially agreed to play against India in the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup. The decision comes after a 10-day standoff, during which Pakistan had refused to participate in their scheduled group match against India. The match will now be held on February 15 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Here are further details.
Mediation
ICC's role in mediating dispute
The International Cricket Council (ICC) played a key role in mediating the dispute. The talks were part of broader discussions with both parties acknowledging the need for constructive dealings. They were united, committed and purposeful in their aspirations to serve the best interests of cricket with integrity, neutrality and cooperation.
Influences
Financial concerns swayed Pakistan's decision
The Pakistan government's decision was swayed by financial concerns for other countries. Several ICC members, including Sri Lanka and the UAE, had urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to boycott their fixture. The PCB also confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken to Sri Lankan President Kumara Dissanayake on this matter.
Statement
Spirit of cricket paramount, says PCB
The Pakistan government's statement read, "In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026." It further emphasized that this decision was taken to protect "the spirit of cricket" and ensure its continuity across all participating nations.
Impact
Bangladesh's exclusion from T20 World Cup
Pakistan had previously linked their decision to boycott the game to Bangladesh's exclusion from the T20 World Cup for refusing to play in India. However, the ICC's decision not to penalize Bangladesh after their exclusion appears to be a major public outcome of negotiations between the ICC, PCB and BCB. This development likely played a role in Pakistan's final decision.
Tensions
How the matter escalated
The whole row stems from the BCCI's order to drop Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. This prompted the Bangladesh government to officially announce that its team would not play matches in India. After the ICC rejected a series of requests from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Scotland replaced the side. On the sidelines of this matter, the PCB showed support for the BCB. The former then announced its decision to boycott the India game.