Uncertainty has deepened around the marquee India–Pakistan clash at the T20 World Cup 2026 after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly confirmed that the Men in Green will not take the field for the scheduled Group A fixture. The two sides are due to meet on February 15 in Colombo, but Sharif stated that Pakistan has decided against participating in the match.
Addressing Pakistan’s cabinet on Wednesday, Sharif said the decision was rooted in principle rather than cricketing considerations, stressing that sport should remain separate from political disputes. He added that Pakistan’s stance is linked to its position alongside Bangladesh, describing the call as deliberate and justified.
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because Pakistan said this a field of sports, not politics. There should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision,” Shehbaz said while addressing the cabinet in Pakistan on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister’s remarks follow reports suggesting that the Pakistan Cricket Board has so far avoided formally communicating the boycott decision to the International Cricket Council. According to those reports, the absence of an official notification has left the ICC in a holding pattern, unable to move forward procedurally.
“Pakistan will not send any formal email to the ICC regarding boycotting the T20 World Cup match against India,” sources previously informed NDTV.
ICC, team India will follow standard procedure
With no written confirmation from the PCB, the fixture technically remains on the tournament schedule. As a result, the ICC is understood to be waiting for official correspondence before determining the next steps, raising the possibility that the situation could drag on in the days leading up to the match.
Meanwhile, India’s plans remain unchanged. The Indian team is set to travel to Colombo as scheduled and will fulfil all match-day formalities, including the pre-match press conference on the eve of the game. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be present at the toss on February 15.
If Pakistan do not appear for the toss, match officials will follow standard ICC protocols. In that scenario, the referee would award India a walkover, handing them two points without a ball being bowled. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s absence at the toss would effectively confirm the forfeiture.