With barely days to go for the men’s T20 World Cup, the Pakistan government on Sunday advised its team not to play against India in the group-stage fixture in Colombo on February 15, even as it cleared its participation in the competition.

The Pakistan cricket team has been given permission by the Pakistani government to compete in the ICC World T20 2026. However, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India,” the Pakistan government said in a statement.

This came just hours before the team was supposed to fly to Sri Lanka, where they would be headquartered for the duration of the event which begins on February 7.

In a statement released later in the evening, the International Cricket Council (ICC) cautioned that "selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions" and could have "long-term implications," even though the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet informed the ICC of the decision.
"This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms, while the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)," the statement stated.

"As this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of, the ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country," the statement stated. "This decision is not in the best interests of the global game or the welfare of fans globally, including millions in Pakistan, even if the ICC recognizes the duties of governments in areas of national policy. The success of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup continues to be the organization's top objective, and all of its members, including the PCB, should share this obligation. Additionally, it anticipates that the PCB will investigate a solution that safeguards the interests of all parties involved.

As previously reported by The Indian Express, when the PCB threatened to boycott the entire T20 World Cup in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was replaced by Scotland after Bangladesh refused to travel to India due to security concerns, ICC sources warned that Pakistan might face harsh penalties, such as the suspension of bilateral series and a ban on foreign players playing in the Pakistan Super League.
Although the February 15 match was included in Sunday's statement, sources in Lahore stated that Pakistan did not want to play India in a knockout match later in the tournament. "We have no say in the matter. We have to do what our administration and the chairman (PCB) decide,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said Lahore.

The Indian cricket board says it has already made plans for the match in Colombo. "ICC has already purchased airline tickets for the Indian squad, and our hotel has been reserved. The BCCI hasn’t received any correspondence from the ICC telling of Pakistan’s decision. A BCCI official told The Indian Express, "We checked with ICC, and they too have not received any official mail on this."
Both on and off the field, Pakistan's choice will have a significant effect. The broadcaster, which spends Rs 138.7 crore every match, is staring at a significant loss as India vs Pakistan is the most-anticipated match, gathering peak viewing and generating the most income through commercials.

If Pakistan adheres to the choice, they would have to win all their remaining three group matchups against the Netherlands, USA and Namibia to escape an early elimination, as they stand to lose two points and their net run rate will also suffer a knock.
Teams have previously declined to participate in ICC events, citing decisions made by the government. Due to security concerns, Australia and the West Indies did not play in Sri Lanka in 1996. As a result, the island nation received points that enabled them advance to the knockout stages.

Due to bilateral concerns, England did not play Zimbabwe in the 2003 World Cup. In the same event, New Zealand didn’t travel to Nairobi for their group match against Kenya because the ICC declined to move the venue despite security concerns. Due to disagreements with the administration, Zimbabwe refused to travel to England for the 2009 World T20.
Since the member boards followed government directives, none of them were subject to penalties or revenue loss in any of these situations.