The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) supports the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) stance on sportsmanship in light of Pakistan’s decision to not play its group-stage match against India at the T20 World Cup 2026.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla stated that the Indian board is in agreement with the ICC’s position and will hold off on making any public comments until further talks with the ICC.
“ICC has made a significant statement about sportsmanship. We fully agree with them. BCCI won’t comment until we have discussions with the ICC,” Shukla told News18.
This statement followed Pakistan’s announcement that its cricket team would not participate in the highly anticipated match against India on February 15. Although Pakistan has received clearance to take part in the tournament, the match with India has been specifically omitted, with no official reason given for this choice.
“The Government of Pakistan approves the Pakistan Cricket Team’s participation in the ICC World T20 2026; however, they will not compete against India on February 15,” the Government of Pakistan said in a statement on X.
In response, the ICC expressed concern about what it called “selective participation,” pointing out that such actions go against the essential principles of global sports events. They stressed that all qualifying teams should compete according to the established schedule and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to find a solution that respects everyone’s interests.
“Selective participation is not fair to the fundamental premise of a global sporting event,” the ICC stated.
The ICC also mentioned that while it recognizes the importance of government policies, such decisions can harm the global cricket landscape and affect fans around the world, including those in Pakistan.
“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in national policy, this decision does not benefit the global game or the welfare of fans everywhere, including millions in Pakistan,” the statement continued.
This situation is similar to a recent incident where Bangladesh declined to play its matches in India due to security issues. After thorough evaluations, the ICC found no credible threat and did not change the tournament schedule.
As a result, Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland, which gained entry as the highest-ranked team outside the original qualification list. Scotland currently ranks 14th in T20 internationals.
Defending champions India are in Group A with Namibia, the Netherlands, the United States, and Pakistan. India will start its campaign against the USA on February 7, followed by a match on February 12, while uncertainty remains about the India-Pakistan match.