Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has responded to the government’s decision to boycott the team’s T20 World Cup group match against India. On Sunday, February 1, the Government of Pakistan confirmed that the national team will take part in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup but directed the squad to forgo the match against their rivals.
This decision follows the ICC’s removal of Bangladesh from the tournament after the team declined to play in India due to security issues. The ICC subsequently replaced Bangladesh with Scotland.
Agha stated that the situation is beyond the players’ control, noting that the team will strictly follow the directions given by the government and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He emphasized that personal views do not influence such decisions.
Agha mentioned that while Pakistan will compete in other matches of the tournament, they will fully adhere to official guidelines regarding the game against India.
“Yes, absolutely, we will go. But that is not our decision, sir, and we cannot do anything about it. Whatever our government and our chairman instruct us to do, we have to follow. Only then will we go, and we will do that,” Agha said during a press conference.
Pakistan is set to play against India on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The team is entering the tournament after a strong performance, having recently defeated Australia by 111 runs, completing a 3-0 sweep in their T20I series.
Pakistan is in Group A with India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States, with all group matches taking place in Sri Lanka.
If Pakistan does not participate in the game against India on February 15, it would be considered a forfeit under ICC rules, resulting in an automatic loss of two points and a negative impact on their net run rate. According to Playing Conditions clause 16.10.7, the team that defaults is treated as if it has used all its overs, while the opposing team’s net run rate remains unchanged.
Sources indicate that the ICC may consider sanctions against Pakistan due to these developments. Possible actions could include limits on No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas players wishing to take part in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which could lead to significant financial losses. Pakistan also risks losing the right to host future ICC tournaments if the situation worsens.