Islamabad authorised its national team to take part in the Men's T20 World Cup, but not to the match against India on 15 February. The International Cricket Council has criticised the South Asian country of “selective participation” while Pakistan accuses the body of favouring India. The final is also at risk of being moved to a neutral venue.

New Delhi (AsiaNews) – While the United Nations has called for an Olympic truce, calling on parties to suspend all ongoing conflicts during the Milano Cortina Games, in South Asia the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup is being played amid high tensions between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan has announced that it will not send its team to India, asking that all its matches be played in Sri Lanka, which co-hosts the tournament with India, scheduled for 7 February to 8 March.

What is more, according to a government statement, the Pakistani team will not take part in the match against India.

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” it posted Sunday on its official X account. “However, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”

Many observers remain sceptical, since matches between India and Pakistan, precisely because of growing political tensions, consistently generate record ratings and, more importantly, advertising revenue in both countries.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-2013, but continue to face off in international tournaments run by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ICC, for its part, has announced that it is awaiting official notification from the Pakistan Cricket Board, stressing that this could damage the spirit of the tournament.

The position of “selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,” the ICC said in a statement. “While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.”

Another important issue remains. Following recent attacks in Balochistan, which Pakistan routinely blames on India, is Islamabad prepared to boycott the final as well, should it advance through all rounds?

The India-Pakistan match is set to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India. However, the ICC includes a contingency clause allowing the final to be moved to Colombo, Sri Lanka, as a neutral venue.

The boycotts of this World Cup began when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the Kolkata Knight Riders to suspend Bangladeshi Muslim player Mustafizur Rahman in early January.

This led Bangladesh to express concerns for the safety of its players, requesting permission to play the matches in Sri Lanka. However, the ICC rejected the request, saying that there are no risks sufficient to justify moving the schedule. As a result, Bangladesh withdrew from the World Cup and their place in the group was given to Scotland.

According to Mohsin Naqvi, president of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Bangladesh's removal was an "injustice”, proof of the ICC's "double standards" in favour of India, which last year, for example, did not fly to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

According to government sources cited by the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the boycott against India follows the ICC's "biased decision" to exclude Bangladesh from the tournament.

Despite calls for sports neutrality, politics remains deeply intertwined with cricket on the subcontinent.

Mohsin Naqvi is Pakistan's Minister of the Interior, while the ICC chief is Jay Shah, former secretary of the BCCI, but more importantly, the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, known for his closeness to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to some commentators, Jay Shah's appointment as head of Indian cricket's governing body in 2023 turned the sport into a platform for the ultranationalist Hindu ideology of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Meanwhile, several players have reacted to the situation on social media. Former Pakistani player Shahid Afridi, in a post on X, called the matter “regrettable” but nevertheless expressed support for his government's decision.

“I’ve always believed cricket can open doors when politics closes them. It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India at the #T20WorldCup, but I stand behind my government’s decision,” Afridi said. “This is the moment for ICC to lead and prove through decisions, not statements, that it is impartial, independent and fair to every member,” he added.

For former Pakistani batsman Muhammad Yousuf, his government took a "tough but necessary stand" to "protect the integrity of the sport.”

Conversely, Indian players have largely criticised Pakistan’s decision. Former spinner Harbhajan Singh called it an “unnecessary drama to mislead people" and especially damaging to those who, even in Pakistan, want to follow the Indian team's match.

• pakistan
• india
• cricket
• sri lanka
• bangladesh
• icc world t20 2026
• boycott
• hindutva
• nationalism