New Delhi: The Pakistani government has announced that its cricket team will not play against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. This announcement has shaken the entire cricket world. It is being speculated that the International Cricket Council (ICC) might ban the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for this. It is believed that Pakistan might reconsider its decision, but the Pakistani media is saying something else. Pakistani media is claiming that the PCB will not change its decision because it has found a legal way to avoid the ICC ban. It is also being claimed, citing PCB sources, that they will not send any official communication to the ICC regarding this, as their government has made this announcement on a public platform.
No signs of changing the decision to not play the match
A report by the Pakistani news website Telecom Asia Sports, citing PCB sources, indicates that the decision to boycott the match will not be changed. According to the source, the announcement of not playing the match was made by the Pakistani government. Until the government changes its decision, we cannot play the match. Earlier, Pakistan's T20 captain Salman Agha had also given similar indications in an official press conference. Agha had also said that Pakistan has to play three other matches in the group and they will try to win them and qualify for the Super-8.
PCB will not give written information to the ICC
The report also states that the PCB will not send any written information to the ICC regarding not playing the match. A PCB source said, 'This is the government's decision and it has been released on an official platform. In such a situation, there is no need to send anything in writing to the ICC. Did India ever inform the ICC (during the Champions Trophy) that it would not travel to Pakistan?' The ICC never asked India to show a letter from its government, nor did India ever show one. Therefore, we don't need to give anything in writing.'
Sharif made the announcement after seeking legal advice.
The cancellation of the Pakistan-India match is likely to cost the ICC and the official broadcaster of the T20 World Cup approximately $250 million in revenue. It is believed that the ICC and the broadcaster may take action against Pakistan. The report claims that the Pakistani government sought legal advice beforehand to deal with any such situation. Only after this was the boycott of the match announced. Before the announcement, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also met with former PCB chief Najam Sethi in Lahore on Sunday. The source said, 'Sethi also advised the PM to take a strong stance against India, as India had backed out of the bilateral series agreement between the two countries in 2016 when Sethi was the PCB chairman.'
A lawyer is being sent to Colombo with the Pakistan team.
The Pakistan team arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Monday evening to participate in the T20 World Cup. The source also said that a lawyer is being sent to accompany the team officials in case there is an ICC meeting on the boycott issue. This has been approved by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi so that the ICC can be given a response on legal points.
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