Pakistan to Boycott T20 World Cup match against India In Colombo

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Pakistan is set to boycott their T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, which is set to be played on February 15 in Colombo.

This decision comes from an official announcement attributed to the Government of Pakistan, as reported by sources including Geo News and echoed across Pakistani media and social media.

The statement reportedly says the Pakistan Cricket Team has approval to join the tournament, but "shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India."

Why are Pakistan boycotting India Match in T20 World Cup?

This stems from tensions involving the ICC's handling of Bangladesh's participation. Bangladesh was reportedly removed or faced issues due to security concerns about playing in India, prompting Pakistan to show solidarity. Initial threats included a full boycott, but it narrowed to just the India match. PCB sources have claimed they have grounds to forfeit this fixture without heavy ICC sanctions, possibly to avoid penalties while making a political statement.

Pakistan T20 World Cup Squad

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq

Pakistan's T20 WC 2026 Group Stage Schedule

Check Out the full list of Pakistan's group stage matches here.

February 7, 2026: Pakistan vs Netherlands Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo, Sri Lanka

Time: 11:00 AM local (05:30 GMT / approx. 11:00 AM IST / 10:30 AM PKT)
This is the tournament opener.

February 10, 2026: Pakistan vs United States of America (USA) Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo, Sri Lanka

Time: 7:00 PM local (13:30 GMT / approx. 7:00 PM IST / 6:30 PM PKT)

February 15, 2026: Pakistan vs India Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Time: 7:00 PM local (13:30 GMT / approx. 7:00 PM IST / 6:30 PM PKT)

February 18, 2026: Pakistan vs Namibia Venue: SSC, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Time: Afternoon/evening slot (around 3:00 PM local / 09:30 GMT)