Pakistan will not take the field in the match against India during the upcoming World Cup Twenty20, the Government of Pakistan announced Sunday.
The decision came after a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan will play the World Cup but will not take the field against India in the match to be played on February 15.
“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,” a post of the government’s X account said.
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
Pakistan boycotted the match against India to show solidarity with Bangladesh who were expelled from the World Cup after they demanded a change in the venue due to the security threats to their team in India.
Pakistan are in Group A along with India, Namibia, Netherlands and USA, and are playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, which is a co-host of the tournament along with India.
They play their first match against Netherlands on February 7, the opening day of the T20 World Cup, and then take on USA on February 10, and Namibia on February 18. Pakistan will forfeit the two points from their game against India if they boycott the fixture.
The ICC's Playing Conditions dictate that Pakistan's net run rate will be hit by the forfeiture, but India's will remain unaffected. Clause 16.10.7 states that in the event of a forfeit, "the net run rate of the defaulting team shall be affected in that the full 20 overs of the defaulting team's innings in such forfeited match shall be taken into account in calculating the average runs per over of the defaulting team over the course of the relevant portion of the competition."