Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has finally addressed the decision that will see Pakistan forfeit their India clash at the T20 World Cup 2026, making it clear that the call was never in the players’ hands.
After Pakistan completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Australia in Lahore on Sunday, Agha was asked about the government’s decision to block Pakistan from taking the field against India on February 15 in Colombo. His response was blunt and unfiltered.
“We are going to the World Cup. Humara decision nahi hai, hum kuch nahi kar sakte. (The decision not to play against India isn’t ours, so we cannot do anything about it.) Whatever our government, the PCB chief tells us to do, we will do that only.”
The Pakistan government has approved the team’s participation in the 20-team tournament, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, but has formally instructed the side not to play the India match. As a result, Pakistan will forfeit the fixture and concede two points.
PCB decision to boycott IND vs PAK match
Despite the previous agreement between the BCCI and the PCB that the two teams will only play at a neutral venue, Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India game seems fascinating. While the ICC has asked Pakistan Cricket to reconsider their decision, PCB is yet to receive any sanctions or a strong response from the ICC.
The move comes in the aftermath of Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament after they refused to travel to India citing security concerns. The Pakistan Cricket Board, led by chairman Mohsin Naqvi, publicly backed Bangladesh and accused the International Cricket Council of applying double standards.
Naqvi held multiple meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after which the government’s position was communicated on Sunday evening. While Pakistan will play all other matches in Sri Lanka, the India fixture has been officially ruled out as of now. Notably, the announcement came on the same day Pakistan unveiled their T20 World Cup jersey and confirmed travel plans to Colombo, where they are expected to land on February 2 ahead of a warm-up match against Ireland.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb 4 | 9th Match, Warm-up | Ireland vs Pakistan | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 11:30 AM |
| Sat, Feb 7 | 1st Match, Group A | Pakistan vs Netherlands | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 11:00 AM |
| Tue, Feb 10 | 12th Match, Group A | Pakistan vs USA | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Feb 15 | 27th Match, Group A | India vs Pakistan | Colombo, R. Premadasa Stadium | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Feb 18 | 35th Match, Group A | Pakistan vs Namibia | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 3:00 PM |
