BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has said that the International Cricket Council’s warning to Pakistan for not playing the T20 World Cup match against India is justified.
“The ICC has issued a big statement on this subject. It has highlighted elements of sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. BCCI will not make any comment until we speak to the ICC,” Shukla told reporters.
On Sunday, Government of Pakistan’s official X account put out a post which said that Pakistan will boycott the T20 World Cup game 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,” it said in a post on X.
The ICC said 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 per the event schedule. “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 hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.
The ICC’s priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which should also be the responsibility of all its members, including the PCB. It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders, the cricket board said.
India and Pakistan are expected to play the World Cup match on Feb.15 in Colombo. The World Cup begins on Feb.7. and is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
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