DUBAI: Indian broadcasters face substantial financial losses, according to reports, which state that the Pakistan vs India match needs to be played during the ICC T20 World Cup.
Broadcasters in India face potential losses of almost $500 million which equals approximately Rs141 billion, according to estimates about Pakistan’s decision to boycott its main match against India. The International Cricket Council (ICC) would lose several million dollars in ticket sales if the match did not occur.
Media reports indicate that the Pakistan-India match generates approximately 50 percent of total T20 World Cup revenue which makes it one of the most profitable matches in international cricket.
Pakistan receives approximately $35 million each year from its ICC revenue distribution. The ICC is also considering taking legal action against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) due to financial losses experienced by broadcasters, according to sources.
Pakistan has a good chance of moving on to the second round of the tournament despite the fact that they may not be playing India.
The general public is still interested in this matter because the boycott of the biggest rivalry in cricket will have financial as well as sports implications.
Pakistan govt takes call on T20 World Cup participation
Yesterday, 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.
