The PCB confirmed its boycott of the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India, citing a government directive. Yet Pakistan’s women’s and U19 teams still face India, highlighting the selective, political nature of the boycott and risking ICC sanctions.
With just four days left for the T20 World Cup 2026 to begin, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to stand firm on its government’s decision to boycott the Team India clash, which is scheduled to take place on February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
On Sunday, the Government of Pakistan officially confirmed the national team’s participation in the marquee event, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, beginning on February 7, but made clear that the Salman Ali Agha-led side would not take the field in the much-anticipated clash against Team India in Colombo.
The final decision was made just a few days after the PCB chief met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the board’s stance on the team’s participation and the controversy surrounding Bangladesh’s refusal to play matches in India. Pakistan’s move appeared to be more a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the tournament after refusing to travel to India for group-stage matches and replaced by Scotland.
PCB and Mohsin Naqvi’s Hypocrisy Exposed
Though Pakistan has taken a hardline stance against Team India at the senior men’s level, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s position appears deeply inconsistent, with no objections raised for other matches involving Women’s and age-group tournaments. On February 1, the day Pakistan announced a boycott of the India clash at the T20 World Cup, the PCB announced the Women’s squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, which will begin on February 13.
Pakistan Women’s ‘A’ team was placed in the Group as India, and the face-off between the two arch-rivals on February 15, the day the men’s team is set to boycott its match against India, will take place as per the schedule, as confirmed by the PCB in its release.
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According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Pakistan women’s team has not received any instructions from either the government or the board regarding any change to its fixture against India Women at the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, scheduled to take place in Thailand. Meanwhile, the Pakistan U19 team recently faced India U19 in a World Cup Super Six match, where they lost by 58 runs and were knocked out of the tournament.
The pattern of selective participation across tournaments has exposed the hollowing of Pakistan’s boycott claim and the PCB’s inconsistent application of principles.
Pakistan’s Stance More Political Than Genuine
Pakistan’s hardline stance on boycotting its clash against Team India at the T20 World Cup 2026 is more political than genuine, as the PCB continues to allow India fixtures across women and age-group tournaments without objection, exposing a lack of consistency in a stated position.
Despite being allowed to play all their T20 World Cup fixtures in Sri Lanka as per the pre-agreement deal between BCCI, PCB, and ICC, Pakistan’s senior men’s team refused to take the field against India hightlights politically motivated and selective boycott.
After the Government of Pakistan announced the national team’s boycott of the India clash, the International Cricket Council (ICC) slammed the decision, saying, ‘selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of global competitions’, and urged Pakistan to reconsider its stance while warning the PCB of ‘significant long-term implications’ for the country’s cricket if the boycott goes ahead.
India and Pakistan’s encounters have been restricted to ICC and ACC tournaments after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended all the bilateral series against arch-rivals followingthe Uri attack in 2016.
After the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, prompting the BCCI to reiterate that no bilateral cricket would be played with Pakistan and further hardening the diplomatic and sporting divide between the two nations. However, the BCCI agreed to allow Team India to play Pakistan in ICC and ACC tournaments.
PCB Yet to Give a Formal Explanation to ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly awaiting a formal explanation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over their decision to boycott the match against Team India at the T20 World Cup 2026.
As per the Pakistani media sources, Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB refused to change their stance on the boycott of India’s clash, with officials arguing that the decision reflects the government’s policy and admitted that it was a ‘tough but necessary stand’ against what they described as biased treatment by the ICC, even as the boarf has not offcially notified the world governing body of cricket in writing.
Since Pakistan’s stance does not come under the ICC-approved exemption, the board could face sanctions, suspension from the tournaments, financial penalties, including potential loss of share of revenue, and restrictions on overseas participation in domestic leagues such as the PSL. Pakistan may also lose the right to host the ICC tournaments in the future.