DUBAI The International Cricket Council ICC has issued a response to Pakistan’s decision to decline a scheduled match against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The ICC stated to the media which stated that it respects Pakistan’s decision because it was made according to government policy. The ICC expressed its hope that the Pakistan Cricket Board will reach an agreement that both parties will accept. The ICC announced that it will wait for Pakistan to make an official announcement about its decision.
An ICC spokesperson said We understand the government position. The spokesperson for ICC said the PCB needs to handle this problem because it will affect more than just their organization. The PCB needs to send us their official message.
All member nations of the ICC must fulfil their obligations to the international cricket community according to the governing body. Pakistan needs to evaluate the adverse effects which will result from its decision.
The ICC stated that its tournaments follow established rules for fair play and competition, which maintain the integrity of the game. The ICC stated that partial match participation violates the match rules, which operate as the foundation of the sport.
The upcoming T20 World Cup will determine Pakistan’s official participation based on upcoming talks between the two organizations. The Pakistan Cricket Board will issue an official statement about the situation shortly.
Pakistan govt takes call on T20 World Cup participation
The government of Pakistan has granted conditional permission for the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the T20 World Cup. However, it has been explicitly decided that the Pakistani team will not play any matches against India during the event.
According to sources, Pakistan has officially boycotted any match against India in the T20 World Cup. This decision applies solely to the Pakistan-India match, while the team will still compete against other teams in the tournament.
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) February 1, 2026
Reports suggest that an important meeting took place between Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi. During this meeting, they discussed various aspects concerning the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the T20 World Cup.
In this meeting, it was decided, considering national interests, the security situation, and diplomatic issues, that Pakistan will participate in the World Cup. However, the principle of not playing against India will be upheld.
