Pakistan to Boycott T20 World Cup Match Against India on February 15

Pakistan will boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India on February 15 after a government announcement on X.

Pakistan will boycott its scheduled match against India at the 2026 T20 World Cup. The decision was confirmed through an official post from the Government of Pakistan on X. The government has cleared the Pakistan team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament. However, it stated that the team will not take part in the fixture against India on February 15, 2026. No explanation was provided for opting out of the match.

“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,” the statement on X read.

READ ALSO | Pat Cummins Ruled Out as Australia Makes Two Changes to T20 World Cup Squad

Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA at the 2026 T20 World Cup. They begin their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7, the opening day of the event. Pakistan then face the USA on February 10 before meeting Namibia on February 18.

If Pakistan boycotts the match against India, they will lose the two points. The boycott will also affect Pakistan’s net run rate. Under ICC playing conditions, the defaulting side is treated as having used the full 20 overs when calculating net run rate. India’s net run rate will not be impacted. The situation could play a decisive role in Group A standings as teams compete for Super Eight qualification.