Pakistan has announced that they will not play their T20 World Cup 2026 match against India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15. If they proceed with this plan, they will lose two points and significantly impact their Net Run Rate.
Unless either Pakistan or India unexpectedly loses to the USA, Namibia, or the Netherlands, led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan is likely to advance to the Super Six. This leads to the question of what would happen if they face India again in the knockout stage.
If Pakistan does not appear for a knockout match, India would automatically qualify for the final if it were a semi-final. If Pakistan also missed the final, India would be declared the tournament winner.
Is Pakistan Considering Against a Knockout Match with India?
In the past, some teams have boycotted matches during the group stages. For example, Australia and West Indies skipped their match against Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup due to security concerns. New Zealand refused to play in Kenya during the 2003 World Cup for similar reasons, and England boycotted a match in Zimbabwe.
However, no team has ever been given a walkover in a knockout match in Cricket history. Will Pakistan set that precedent?
According to the Press Trust of India, no final decision has been made yet and will be taken as the match date approaches.
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PTI cited a source stating:
“The government has informed the board that the national team will not play against India on February 15, resulting in forfeited points in the World Cup. Regarding a potential knockout match against India, the board will abide by the government’s decision at that time.”
The ICC Cannot Punish Pakistan
Former ICC chairman Ehsan Mani noted that the ICC lacks authority to penalize Pakistan. He pointed out that India chose not to participate in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which was to be held in Pakistan. On those grounds, Mani argued that the PCB cannot face consequences for boycotting the match against India.