Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the decision not to play against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup was taken after careful consideration. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he stated that politics has no place in sports and that the move expresses Pakistan’s full solidarity with Bangladesh. The match, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, will not be played, though Pakistan will participate in the rest of the tournament.

The decision followed discussions between Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. It came after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland due to Bangladesh’s security concerns about playing in India. Pakistan had initially considered withdrawing from the tournament entirely but later opted to continue while boycotting the India match. The ICC has urged the PCB to seek a mutual resolution.

The boycott leaves Pakistan facing a tougher path in the group stage, where they must win their remaining three matches to stay in contention for the top two positions. The World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, runs from February 7 to March 8.