Gautam Gambhir, head coach of the Indian cricket team, left for Mumbai from New Delhi, where they are supposed to play their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 opener against USA.
The Men in Blue will also face South Africa in a warm-up match in Navi Mumbai today, February 4, 2026.
Gambhir, upon arriving at the airport in Delhi, was met with reporters who, at first, wished him good luck for the tournament. He thanked them for their well wishes, but was asked about Pakistan boycotting their match against India. Check it out:
The India head coach has no response to this query, and we walked away from the media persons ignoring the question.
Pakistan’s IND vs PAK T20 World Cup Boycott Saga Explained
The Pakistani government confirmed on Sunday, February 1, that its national side will take part in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, but will not take the field during the much-anticipated fixture against India.
The decision, announced barely two weeks before the scheduled encounter, has triggered widespread debate and criticism across the cricketing world.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had even threatened to withdraw entirely from the tournament, citing solidarity with Bangladesh after their exclusion from the tournament for declining to play matches in India.
Bangaldesh’s demand had come after their fast bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, was removed from Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad. He was bought by the franchise during the Mini Auction in December.
What Is India’s Stance On The Boycott?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made no specific comments regarding Pakistan’s decision to boycott the IND vs PAK T20 World Cup match.
However, reports suggest that the Men in Blue will travel to Colombo, the match venue, and wait for the match referee to officially call off the encounter if that is to be the case.