Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal critiqued Pakistan fans as the T20 World Cup 2026 match between India and Pakistan approaches. He noted that some Pakistani fans react negatively towards their own players and may even damage property when their team loses to India.
Lal pointed out that Indian fans generally view the game differently, emphasizing that they do not escalate their emotions to that degree. He believes the match does not hold more importance than a World Cup final. The teams are scheduled to compete at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15.
“The most important match is the final one, not India vs Pakistan. While it garners a lot of attention due to historical tensions, we see it as just a game. We don’t resort to abusive behavior or damage our belongings,” Lal stated, as reported by NDTV.
When asked about Pakistan’s threat to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match, Lal questioned the role of the Pakistani Prime Minister in the situation. He accused Pakistan of trying to embarrass India by not participating. Lal suggested that a boycott would ultimately disadvantage Pakistan more than India.
“If you choose not to play, that’s your decision; skip the whole tournament if you wish. It could be detrimental to their Cricket. While we might see a small drop in revenue, it would primarily affect Pakistan financially. If the ICC banned them, they could struggle to pay player salaries. Involving the Prime Minister isn’t ideal either,” he said.
Historically, Pakistan has won against India only once in T20 World Cup matches, with India leading the series 7-1.
