The India vs Pakistan match hangs in balance.
Credit: Reuters
With the Pakistan Cricket Board adamant on forfeiting their ICC T20 World Cup fixture against India, the game's global governing body has urged them to consider the long-term implications of its decision and “explore a mutually acceptable resolution”.
It is worth mentioning that while the Pakistan government granted permission for its men’s cricket team to take part in the upcoming T20 World Cup, beginning on Saturday (February 7), it said it would boycott the league stage match against India on February 15 in Colombo without specifying the reason behind the decision.
However, in a carefully drafted press release, ICC warned the PCB of forfeiting the marquee fixture.
“The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), 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,” the ICC stated in a media release on Sunday.