ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan PM Backs India Match Boycott – ‘We Are With Bangladesh’

Pakistan’s shocking decision to boycott their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 match against India has been backed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Speaking on Thursday after a government meeting, Sharif said that the move was an “appropriate decision” taken in solidarity with Bangladesh.

“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won't play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif told reporters after the meeting.

“We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh.”

The Pakistan cricket team was directed by the government to skip the high-profile February 15 clash in Colombo. Although no reason was specified, it was clear that the move was a protest against Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament after the latter refused to play in India, citing security concerns.

Bangladesh Thanks Pakistan Amid ICC Fury

Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul took to his official Facebook page to write “Thank you Pakistan” in Bengali, while quoting Sharif’s remarks.

The ICC had warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of serious consequences should the team fail to appear for the India match. The India vs Pakistan match is one of the game’s biggest revenue drivers for sponsors, broadcasters, and advertisers.

The world body said it hoped the PCB would “consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.”

Despite the standoff, the Pakistan team has already arrived in Colombo. The Green Shirts are set to begin their group stage with a match against the Netherlands on Saturday.

PCB Backs Government Line

The PCB has made it clear that it will stand by the government’s directive, even in case of a potential India-Pakistan rematch in the knockout stages.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had earlier decried Bangladesh’s exclusion as unfair. However, ICC’s security assessment of Indian venues put the threat perception for Bangladesh as low to moderate.

Bangladesh’s refusal to tour India followed the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League. The BCCI instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster, despite the franchise acquiring him for INR 9.20 crore in the mini-auctions.

Although the BCCI did not provide any reason for their diktat, this came amid rising attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, leading to strained ties with India.

(With PTI Inputs)