A day after the Pakistan government announced that their cricket team won’t feature in the clash against India, scheduled to feature on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo, their former captain and premier all-rounder, Shahid Afridi, has reacted to the news through his viral post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The former member of the Pakistan 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team challenged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to prove itself as impartial and fair to every member. This stance from the PCB came after the ICC decided to boycott Bangladesh from the event due to their refusal to travel to India.

See Also: Sri Lanka face massive injury setback ahead of T20 World Cup 2026; probable replacement named

“I’ve always believed cricket can open doors when politics closes them. It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India at the #T20WorldCup, but I stand behind my government’s decision. This is the moment for @ICC to lead and prove through decisions, not statements, that it is impartial, independent, and fair to every member.” Afridi expressed on his viral X post.

Shahid Afridi expresses his view on Pakistan’s refusal to play India in T20 WC 2026

Pakistan is in the same group with India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America (USA) as they play the curtain raiser against the Dutch side on February 07 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. In case of forfeiting the India game, they will get a massive penalty in the net run-rate, as a defeat against the other three games could see them getting disqualified. 

Ladies and Gentlemen Mr Shahid Afridi- Cousin of Shaquib Afridi, a commander of the terrorist group Harkat-ul-Ansar who was killed by the Indian forces in J&K India. pic.twitter.com/gL9oGwCTS1

— Meru (@MeruOnX) February 2, 2026

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.” The Pakistan government posted its views on X.

The ICC has asked the PCB to change this stance from their government and take a mutually accepted decision which will be in favor of the stakeholders and the broadcasters, as the India vs Pakistan game always holds a lucrative revenue in that department.

Pakistan will take part in this month’s T20 World Cup 2026 but won’t play their scheduled match against the co-hosts India on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The country had been considering forfeiting the event after the Bangladesh side withdrew, citing safety concerns in traveling to India.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a stern warning to the PCB, expecting the board to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that will protect the interests of the stakeholders regarding playing against India in the event. They have also made it clear that selective participation in the competition won’t be allowed in any case.

See Also: Watch: “Intrusion of politics…”- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reacts to Pakistan’s refusal to play vs India in T20 WC 2026

The ICC is likely to hold a key board meeting among its members ahead of the competition on the matter, where they would make everything possible to continue the India vs Pakistan game as scheduled. “This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event.” The ICC expressed in a statement.

ICC to force Pakistan to play vs India in T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan is placed in Group A with India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America, and will be playing all of their games in Sri Lanka, which is one of the co-hosts of the competition. They play their opening game on February 07 against the Dutch, which will also be the curtain raiser of the tournament.

“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency, and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions. While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.” The ICC revealed in the statement.

It has happened in the past when certain teams have neglected their travel to forfeit the ICC games. In 1996, Australia and the West Indies didn’t travel to Sri Lanka before England did the same with Zimbabwe in 2003. Even New Zealand didn’t travel to Kenya for that World Cup, but there was a security reason, which is not the case for Pakistan in playing in Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially unveiled the national team’s jersey for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday after receiving approval from the Government of Pakistan to take part in the tournament. The launch followed a major political decision, as Pakistan announced it will boycott its group-stage match against India on February 15.

The government confirmed that the Pakistan team will travel to Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which will run until March 8. However, the approval came with a condition that Pakistan will not play its Group A match against India on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The PCB is yet to formally inform the ICC, but the announcement has already drawn strong reactions.

The jersey launch took place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after Pakistan’s third T20I against Australia. The event was earlier postponed due to uncertainty over participation and went ahead only after government clearance. Captain Salman Ali Agha, along with senior players Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed, presented the new jersey.

Watch the video here:

Paksitan t20 world cup jersey with a markhor touch pic.twitter.com/mhlsBaejdy

— Mustafa (@mustafamasood0) February 1, 2026

Pakistan Unveils “Vanguard Markhor Edition” Jersey

The new kit, named the “Vanguard Markhor Edition,” comes with a light green base and dark green designs. It clearly features Pakistan’s national animal, the Markhor. The PCB also released a short promotional video that highlighted themes of strength, resilience, and national pride.

See also -Star RCB pacer likely to miss early phase of the T20 World Cup 2026; replacement announced

ICC Responds to Pakistan’s Boycott Decision

Pakistan’s decision to skip the match against India was shared through an official statement on X. The Government of Pakistan said it had allowed the team to take part in the tournament but confirmed that the side will not play against India. No official reason was given for the move.

Under ICC playing rules, Pakistan will lose two points from the match and also suffer a loss in net run rate. India’s points and net run rate will not be affected.

The ICC raised concerns over selective participation in a global tournament. In its statement, the governing body said such actions affect fairness, competition, and the spirit of the game. The ICC also warned that the decision could have long-term effects on Pakistan cricket and asked the PCB to find a mutually acceptable solution.

Late on February 01, the Pakistan government revealed that they would forfeit the clash against India in the T20 World Cup 2026 despite giving a green signal to the rest of the competition. The ICC, however, expects the PCB to come to a mutually accepted position regarding the future of the clash, which is scheduled to happen on February 15 at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo.  

The situation occurred from the Pakistan board after the ICC decided to remove the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) from the World Cup due to the side’s refusal to travel to India, which the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, expressed as double standards and a part of favoring the Indian side.

See Also: Know BCCI’s reaction to Pakistan forfeiting clash vs India in T20 WC 2026

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.” The Pakistan Government expressed on X (formerly known as Twitter).

What sanctions will ICC impose on Pakistan after forfeiting match against India in T20 WC 2026?

It has been noted that ICC may ban the Pakistan side entirely from the World Cup. Their annual revenue payout can also be withheld. This will be a massive blow to the financial structure of the board. The India vs Pakistan clash is always the most-watched game of any ICC event, which means the PCB will be asked to pay the full compensation to Jio-Star.

There will be probable sanctions for the bilateral series, along with an impact on the WTC points and the ICC rankings. Meanwhile, the ICC may also ban the players from taking part in future editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

“The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event.” The ICC statement addressed.

The Pakistan cricket team is set to forfeit their Group A game against India at the 2026 T20 World Cup, as the fixture was scheduled to take place on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Their government issued the post, claiming that the green light would be only on participating in the entire tournament, apart from the clash against India.

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.” The full post of the Pakistan government on X is as follows.

See Also: “Not sure if…”- Kevin Pietersen reacts to Pakistan forfeiting India clash in T20 WC 2026

As of now, twice these things happened in the past. Australia and the West Indies decided not to travel to Sri Lanka for the 1996 ODI World Cup due to security reasons, before New Zealand and England took the same stance in the 2003 ODI World Cup in Zimbabwe for the same reason.

Pakistan to be sanctioned by ICC for forfeiting T20 WC 2026 clash

The reports have claimed that the ICC, even after the request to change the stance from the PCB and take a decision that will be mutually accepted by all the parties, can completely ban the Pakistan side from the entire competition. Their annual revenue payout can also be withheld, which will be a massive blow to the financial structure of the board.

Implications of Pakistan's India match boycott:
1. Completely banned from the tournament.
2. ICC annual revenue pay-out withheld.
3. PCB asked to pay full compensation to Jio-Star for revenue loss.
4. Sanctions on bilateral series, impact on WTC…

— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) February 1, 2026

The India vs Pakistan clash is always the most lucrative and usually the most-watched clash of any ICC tournament. Despite the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, the ICC has kept them in the same group for 14 years. In case of the forfeit game, the PCB will be asked to pay the full compensation to Jio-Star, the broadcasters, for the revenue loss.

There will be potential sanctions for the bilateral series, along with a massive impact on the World Test Championship (WTC) points and the ICC rankings. Even the overseas players can also be banned from taking part in the future seasons of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Despite a week to go before the start of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, there is speculation over the participation of the Pakistan cricket team in the tournament as the chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, is yet to confirm the presence. Under the leadership of Salman Ali Agha, they are playing a home T20I series against Australia. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), according to the reports, have prepared their second plan if they decide to boycott the ICC event in which they have finalized an alternative plan of bringing a new domestic tournament at home. The senior national side, along with the under 18 players, and the A side, which is called the Shaheens, will be split into four competitive teams.

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A special domestic style tournament will be organized at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which will engage not only the fans but also the players and make sure that the youngsters will learn a lot from the seniors heading into the future. The aim is to ensure continuous match practice and keep the players fully engaged during the World Cup window.

Pakistan designs plan B for boycotting T20 World Cup 2026

Naqvi expressed that a final decision on their participation in the World Cup would be taken only after discussion with the Pakistan government as he spoke shortly after ICC officially removed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) from the World Cup owing to their refusal to play in India, in which the PCB chairman accused the ICC of showing double standards in favoring India.

“Our stance [on World Cup participation] will be what the government of Pakistan instructs me. The Prime Minister is not in Pakistan right now. When he returns, I'll be able to give you our final decision. It's the government's decision. We obey them, not the ICC.” Naqvi claimed in a statement.

Pakistan are, currently, scheduled to play the curtain raiser of the World Cup against Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo while the biggest mouthwatering clash against India will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium on February 15.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has out of nowhere cancelled the kit launch for the Pakistan National Cricket Team's ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 (which was slated to take place throughout the current T20I series with Australia). The planned launch was to take place during the T20I series with Australia and also intended to promote the national team's participation in the T20 World Cup. The PCB's recent decision to call off this event on short notice and due to "unavoidable circumstances" has brought up numerous questions about Pakistan's participation at the T20 World Cup as well as created speculation regarding the team's involvement in the World Event. 

Initially, the PCB had planned to unveil the team colours of the T20 World Cup at the conclusion of the second T20I match between Australia and Pakistan on December 29, 2023. Final arrangements were made prior to that time to ensure maximum visibility for the launch during the Australia-Pakistan T20I series. Just prior to that scheduled time, the PCB abruptly decided to postpone the launch of the new kit. No formal statement announcing the reasons behind this event have been made, which left many fans and observers of the game surprised and pondering the recent occurrences and their implications.

The Pakistan Cricket Board hasn’t provided any additional detail and has publicly attributed the cancellation to logistical problems. However, sources indicate that other reasons beyond those mentioned may also be driving the cancellation. The sources report that the reason for the cancellation is tied to the fact that the Pakistan Foreign Office has not provided the necessary formal clearance for Pakistan’s cricket team to participate in the T20 World Cup 2026, thus there continues to be uncertainty regarding Pakistan’s participation. The cancelled kit launch reflects that.

See Also: Watch: India football's goal-keeper mocks Pakistan cricket team during practice session in viral video

Pakistan will be playing all their games in Sri Lanka

Consequently, until the Foreign Office has officially communicated a decision, the future of Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 continues to be a matter of speculation due to the combination of continued diplomatic issues along with administrative issues. The Pakistan Cricket Board continues to state that they will proceed per Government of Pakistan direction from the Foreign Office, at which time a final decision is anticipated to be made on Monday. Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament as a result of not receiving permission from the ICC to relocate their participating venues outside of India, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s uncertainty appears to be increasing, and they will continue to wait and see while they conduct an internal review of all possible options.

PCB has announced that the Pakistan national team is confirmed to fly to Colombo on the 2nd of February, where they will play all their matches during the ICC World Cup 2011, including the final should they qualify. All games between India and Pakistan during this period will be held at neutral venues (as part of an ICC agreement) until 2027. Although the PCB has stated it is supportive of Bangladesh's security issues, officials are cautious about doing anything which may affect Pakistan's position in the ICC, particularly since there are no logistical impediments to him participating.

Pakistancollected a massive victory by eight wickets during their successful chase against New Zealand during the first Super Six encounter inside 17.1 overs of 112 runs, which saw them leapfrog several teams and get the third spot of the second group, just behind India and England. The former sits at the top with three wins, along with the latter.

Pakistan’s next encounter of the U19 World Cup will be against India, the arch-rivals, where they not only need a victory but a win by a massive margin to go beyond the blue brigade’s net run rate and qualify for the semifinal of the competition. India, meanwhile, sits with an NRR of +3.337.

See Also: Can Pakistan qualify for U-19 World Cup 2026 semifinal? Know qualifying scenarios vs India

Now, the question stands: can Pakistan look to boycott the upcoming clash against the arch-rivals, which will be a stand against the ICC ahead of the upcoming senior Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka? However, that will rule them out of the semifinal of the U19 World Cup.

Can Pakistan boycott U19 World Cup 2026 clash vs India

The potential boycott decision will stand against the ICC, which replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the T20 World Cup 2026 after the BCB’s two letters to the governing body, questioning the security of the hosts. Meanwhile, the news has come that Pakistan may look to either boycott the entire T20 event or only the India-Pakistan match.

A withdrawal from the game against India could leave the PCB facing a legal claim of around 38 million dollars from the broadcasters. Pakistan’s options are anyway limited as any such move could trigger ICC sanctions, affecting the bilateral cricket, NOCs for the overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and even the hosting and participating in the Asia Cup.

“Held a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz (Shehbaz) Sharif. I updated him on the ICC issue, and he advised that it be addressed with all options kept open. It was mutually agreed that a final call will be made either on Friday or next Monday.” The PCB chief, Mohsin Naqvi, shed light on social media, reflecting on Pakistan’s final decision on the T20 World Cup.

The former Indian opening batter, Aakash Chopra, has reflected on the future of the Asia Cup, as the tournament seems to have lost its relevance after the day-night difference in skills between India and the other sides. Chopra remains worried about the future of the event, which seems to have lost its charm and sharpness.

India won the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, during a modest chase, where they completed the runs in the second innings despite being 20/3. Chopra also remarked how the Pakistan board has started provoking the Bangladesh side.

See Also: Watch: “Neither here nor…”- Aakash Chopra reflects on Sanju Samson’s form ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

“Bye Asia Cup!! Yes, the Asia Cup is getting a goodbye. This is what I feel that the Asia Cup is not going to happen from now on. Mohsin Naqvi has already escaped with the trophy. India and Pakistan are there, but they don’t play each other at all. So, that issue is already there. They have also provoked Bangladesh to take the same stand against them.” Chopra expressed in a video on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Aakash Chopra drops bold statement on Asia Cup future 

The renowned commentator reckoned that BCCI should look to invite Sri Lanka and a few more teams to arrange a five-team event in the future, which will be a massive entertainer, perhaps more than the Asia Cup.

Watch the video here: 

Has the Asia Cup lost its relevance? Will there be an Asia Cup in the near future? #Aakashvani #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/8VVBFOwKEA

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 27, 2026

“Pakistan talked a lot that if India doesn’t come to play in Pakistan, then they won’t come either. But they did it anyway. But with the incident in Bangladesh, the Asia Cup is getting irrelevant. The last Asia Cup 2025 was about a poor advertisement. India was at the top, and others were nowhere near. So, if there is no standard, then the BCCI may not play it!!” Chopra addressed.

“It’s not the first time that the Asia Cup won’t happen due to political reasons. It has happened even in the past. Now, whose loss will it be is the question. The Asian blokes need to think of it. I am telling you, call Sri Lanka, one of Australia, or whoever is free, and play a five-team tournament. The fun will be massive.” The former opener concluded. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to confirm its participation in next month’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) kept the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on standby for the event. The PCB chief, Mohsin Naqvi, claimed that he met the PM Shahbaz Sharif and would take the final call on either January 30 or February 02.

Pakistan is unlikely to boycott the entire tournament, with the knowledge that the ICC may then replace them with Bangladesh. But the PCB has also reportedly thought of forfeiting the mouth-watering clash against India on February 15 at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Meanwhile, Scotland has already replaced Bangladesh officially in the competition.

See Also: Watch: “Getting started…”- Hardik Pandya reflects on his 10-year journey for India in nostalgic video

“If Pakistan decides to withdraw, Bangladesh would be allowed to replace them in Group A and play all their matches in Sri Lanka as per BCB’s original request. This arrangement would pose limited logistical challenges.” The reports were added as per the officials.

ICC keeps Bangladesh as standby for T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan is scheduled to open its campaign against the Netherlands on February 07 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo before locking horns with the United States of America at the same ground on February 07. Post their third group-stage encounter against India, they will travel back to the Sinhalese Club on February 18 against Namibia.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, wrote two letters to the ICC in a request to relocate their venues due to security concerns. They were expected to play their group-stage clash against West Indies, England, and Italy at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata before making a trip to Wankhede Stadium against Nepal.

If Bangladesh goes on to replace Pakistan, then the former’s issue will be resolved. They can play all of their games in Sri Lanka, which was their request at the primary stage of the entire discussion. Subsequently, both Pakistan and Bangladesh have announced their respective 15-member squad for the world event.