Watch: Pakistan Team departs for Sri Lanka ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 amid boycott controversy vs India

The Pakistan cricket team has left for Sri Lanka to play in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. This comes even though the team may face action from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan has refused to play against India in the tournament.

A video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board showed the players wearing their new World Cup kit. They were seen boarding a bus from a hotel in Lahore and heading to the airport. Even though Pakistan is co-hosting the tournament with India, the team will play all its matches in Sri Lanka because of political tension between the two countries.

On Sunday, Pakistan shocked the cricket world when the government told the team to take part in the World Cup but boycott the group-stage match against India.

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Pakistan leave for T20 World Cup amid India boycott row

Pakistan left for the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka on Monday and is waiting to see if the ICC will take action. The issue comes after Pakistan refused to play against India in the tournament. A video shared by the PCB showed players wearing their new World Cup jersey as they travelled from a hotel in Lahore to the airport.

Even though India is a co-host of the World Cup, Pakistan will play all its matches in Sri Lanka. This includes any knockout games. The decision was taken due to political tension between the two countries. Pakistan created shock on Sunday when the government told the team to play in the World Cup but skip the group match against India in Colombo on February 15. No clear reason was given. Reports say the PCB has not officially informed the ICC yet.

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ICC warns of consequences

The ICC has warned Pakistan about possible punishment. It said that playing some matches and skipping others does not match the spirit of a global tournament. The ICC added that this decision is not good for world cricket or for fans, including those in Pakistan. Matches between India and Pakistan usually draw huge viewership and bring major income, as the two teams have not played a bilateral series for many years.

Players and PCB respond

The T20 World Cup will begin on Saturday, with Pakistan set to face the Netherlands. Pakistan will also play a warm-up match against Ireland on Wednesday in Colombo. After a 3-0 T20 series win over Australia in Lahore, captain Salman Ali Agha said the players would follow government orders. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also criticised the ICC, calling its actions unfair. He pointed to past cases where teams faced different treatment due to government decisions.