Pakistan Takes U-Turn Just 8 Days After PM Urged Team to Boycott India Clash in T20 World Cup

The ICC may extend the India-Pakistan hybrid model until 2031, allowing Pakistan to play their 2031 World Cup matches in Bangladesh.

Pakistan Takes U-Turn Just 8 Days After PM Urged Team to Boycott India Clash in T20 World Cup

Pakistan made a dramatic U-turn, deciding to overturn its boycott of T20 World Cup clash against India. (via Economic Times)

In Short
  • Pakistan has reversed its decision to boycott the 2026 T20 World Cup match against India.
  • The change followed successful negotiations between the PCB and ICC, addressing concerns for Bangladesh.
  • Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif approved the decision to play on February 15, emphasizing the spirit of the game.

At the end of a series of meetings between officials from the PCB and the ICC, the Government of Pakistan has reversed its initial decision to boycott its 2026 T20 World Cup encounter against India. The game will proceed as scheduled in a dramatic change of stance.

The India-Pakistan clash at the 2026 T20 WC was thrown into doubt earlier this month, after the PCB announced that it would boycott the match under the direction of PM Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan decided so in order to extend solidarity with Bangladesh, which had withdrawn from the tournament after refusing to travel to India for the matches due to security concerns. It was triggered by pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the 2026 IPL season.

Pakistan, playing all its World Cup fixtures in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model, entered the fray after voicing its support for Bangladesh. When Pakistan announced that it would not take the field against India on February 1, the PCB risked facing severe financial sanctions from the ICC. With PCB and ICC officials in a deadlock, the tournament began on February 7, with Pakistan facing off against the Netherlands.

A series of urgent ‘midnight discussions’ began in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on February 8, involving ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, and BCB president Aminul Islam. To play against India, Pakistan presented the ICC with several demands, including a guarantee that Bangladesh would not incur any penalty, compensatory hosting rights for a global event in Bangladesh, and the resumption of bilateral cricket with India.

The global cricketing body agreed on a favorable position on Bangladesh and promised to award the hosting rights of a U-19 WC to the country before 2031. As a result, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif, in a dramatic u-turn, formally announced that the country would play against India on February 15, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sharif indicated that the decision had been taken to protect the spirit of the game, as well as upon insistence of ‘friendly countries’ like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and UAE. A tweet shared by the Government of Pakistan, read:

In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

In fact, it was BCB’s Aminul Islam who strongly encouraged Pakistan to consider playing against India. This is not the first time Pakistan has reversed a boycott decision, as the PCB and Mohsin Naqvi had a similar change of heart during the 2025 Asia Cup.

Bilateral cricket still on hold: A look back at the last India vs. Pakistan face-off following ICC rejection

The ICC rejected the PCB’s demand for the resumption of bilateral cricket with India, in exchange for taking the field against the arch-rivals at the 2026 T20 World Cup. Pakistan surprisingly reversed its stance on boycotting the WC match against India. 

India vs. Pakistan 2012-13
India and Pakistan last played each other in a bilateral series back in 2012-13. (via NDTV Sports)

PCB had made three strong demands, with the most significant one being the resumption in cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. They urged for a tri-series to be played between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh later this year. The ICC, however, rejected Pakistan’s demand, reiterating that a bilateral series falls strictly outside its jurisdiction and can only be decided upon by the respective governments. 

Pakistan and India had last played each other during the 2012-13 season, when the Men in Green toured its neighbouring country for three ODIs and two T20Is. The visitors won the ODI series 2-1, securing victories in Chennai and Kolkata, while India won the third ODI in Delhi. Nasir Jamshed finished as the highest run-getter with 241 runs, while Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan picked up eight wickets each.

Meanwhile, the two-match T20I series concluded in a draw, with Pakistan winning the first match in Bengaluru by five wickets. However, India rallied in the second match in Ahmedabad, winning by 11 runs, with Yuvraj Singh being named Player of the Match.

Read More: