Pakistan to play at T20 World Cup – but refuse to face India

Pakistan will take part in this month’s men’s T20 World Cup but will not play their scheduled match against tournament co-hosts India.

The country had been considering boycotting the competition after Bangladesh withdrew citing safety fears over travelling to India.

Political tensions also mean Pakistan and India have not faced each other outside men’s major tournaments since 2013, while India have not played in Pakistan since 2008.

The sides are scheduled to play in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in accordance with an agreement signed last year stating that the two countries will play at neutral venues whenever one of them hosts an ICC event.

In a statement, the Pakistan government said it “grants approval” to their team’s participation, but added “[the] Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India”.

The ICC has yet to publish its playing conditions for the tournament so it is not known what sanction Pakistan could face for boycotting the game.

However, the rules for the previous tournament stated: “If the match is decided by one side conceding defeat or refusing to play, the result shall be stated as Match Conceded or Match Awarded, as the case may be.”

Pakistan had previously announced their squad for the 20-team tournament, which begins on 7 February, but maintained participation was subject to government approval.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), meanwhile, had asked for their fixtures to be switched from India to the other host nation, Sri Lanka.

But that call was rejected by the ICC last month with the organisation saying there was an “absence of any credible security threat”.

The BCB then withdrew with Scotland replacing them in the tournament.

Alongside India, Pakistan have been placed with Namibia, Netherlands and the USA in Group A.