Pakistan to Skip India Match in T20 World Cup in Protest Against ICC: Report

The Pakistan government has cleared the national men’s team to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka but has decided that the side will not play its Group A match against India on February 15 in Colombo.

The decision follows ongoing tensions over the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) handling of Bangladesh’s exit from the tournament. Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India for security reasons, a move that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and government officials believe was unfair.

According to a report by Geo News, the government has denied clearance for the India match as a form of protest against the ICC’s governance.

“The Pakistan team has been instructed not to play the February 15 match against India as a protest,” a source was quoted as saying. “The principles of justice and equality have been shattered by biased decisions.”

While Pakistan has ruled out boycotting the entire tournament, officials have confirmed that the team will forfeit only the match against India.

If Pakistan does not take the field on February 15, India will be awarded two points, benefiting captain Suryakumar Yadav’s side through a walkover.

However, the move could expose Pakistan to disciplinary action from the ICC. Since the match is scheduled at a neutral venue in Sri Lanka under an agreement between the ICC, PCB, and BCCI, there are no clear grounds for withdrawal.

Team Schedule and Preparations

The Pakistan squad is set to travel to Colombo on Monday, February 2. The team will begin its preparations with a warm-up match against Ireland on February 4.

Placed in Group A alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA, Pakistan will open its campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 at the R Premadasa Stadium.

After winning the final T20I against Australia, captain Salman Agha said the players had no role in the decision regarding the India match.

“We will follow whatever the government and the PCB decide,” he said.

Boycotting the India fixture could seriously affect Pakistan’s chances of reaching the next round, especially in the unpredictable T20 format. Following their opener, Pakistan will face the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18.