New Delhi: Sri Lanka Cricket’s desperate appeal to Pakistan to reconsider the decision to boycott the India match at the T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo fell on deaf ears after the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to budge from their stance.
The SLC Board wrote a letter to the PCB on Thursday evening, urging it to reconsider the boycott stance and clearly stating a potential financial impact. With the India vs Pakistan fixture remaining the biggest ticket event in world cricket due to its rarity and rivalry, a massive amount is on the line, including the revenues, ads and ratings.
Colombo, the host for the India-Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup on February 15, is banking big on the marquee clash and failure to stage the match will cost SLC dearly.
SLC, in its letter, stated its eagerness to host the India-Pakistan clash, noting that all “commercial, operational, logistical and security arrangements” for the match are already in place.
The arrangements included hospitality planning and the sale of match tickets, with strong demand a clear indicator of massive public interest and significant commercial expectations.
Pakistan not willing to budge as SLC stares at monumental losses
However, as per a report in the Hindustan Times, PCB is not willing to budge from its stance. “Yes, we have received the letter, but we can’t overturn the government’s decision. The call is firmly with the government,” PCB sources told The Hindustan Times.
SLC has notified PCB of the massive financial consequences (an estimated 100m USA) if Pakistan chose not to participate in the India match. The potential loss of tourism is already evident, with multiple hotel bookings in Colombo reportedly cancelled.
The Sri Lanka Cricket also invoked the 2009 terror attack memory in its letter, referring to the period when teams stopped touring Pakistan following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.
The controversy began after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) from its 2026 squad on the BCCI’s instructions. Bangladesh retaliated by not refusing to travel to India for the league games and were subsequently replaced by Scotland.
Pakistan came in support of Bangladesh and announced that they would boycott the marquee fixture against India, scheduled to be held in Colombo under the hybrid model agreement between BCCI, PCB and ICC.
