SRINAGAR: Pakistan’s cricket team will play its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India on February 15, 2026, after the country’s government ordered the reversal of its earlier decision to boycott the fixture, citing geopolitical tensions.
“The government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan team to take the field on February 15 for its scheduled fixture,” an official statement said on Monday.
The announcement followed a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during which Naqvi conveyed outcomes from talks with International Cricket Council (ICC) representatives and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
ICC officials met with BCB President Aminul Islam and Naqvi on Sunday, in a bid to resolve Pakistan’s planned boycott. The Pakistani government stated that it had considered formal requests from Bangladesh, as well as supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations seeking a “viable solution to recent challenges.”
Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also reportedly urged Prime Minister Sharif by phone to reverse the decision. Pakistan are scheduled to play all their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament with India. Officials noted that cancelling the high-profile India clash would have caused financial losses to the island nation, which relies heavily on tourism.
The boycott was in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was removed from the tournament after refusing to travel to India over safety and security concerns. Scotland was named as Bangladesh’s replacement. Pakistan’s initial refusal to face India marked the first such boycott in the history of India-Pakistan ICC encounters, prompting international attention and backchannel negotiations.
Following discussions last weekend between ICC officials and the South Asian boards, an agreement was reached to proceed with the scheduled match. The ICC said, “It was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success.”
The decision ends weeks of uncertainty over one of the tournament’s most high-profile matches and preserves the integrity of the World Cup schedule.
