DUBAI — The Worldwide Cricket Council has warned Pakistan that selective participation within the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 undermines the integrity and equity of world cricket, following Islamabad’s determination to withdraw from its scheduled match in opposition to India.
In a strongly worded assertion issued on Sunday, the ICC mentioned it had famous the Pakistani authorities’s directive instructing its nationwide staff to not take the sector for the February 15, 2026 fixture, whereas nonetheless allowing participation in the remainder of the match. The governing physique mentioned it’s awaiting formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The ICC mentioned the place taken by Pakistan was “tough to reconcile with the elemental premise of a world sporting occasion,” the place all certified groups are anticipated to compete on equal phrases and cling to the official schedule.
“ICC tournaments are constructed on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and equity, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions,” the assertion mentioned.
Whereas acknowledging the position of governments in shaping nationwide coverage, the ICC cautioned that Pakistan’s determination was not within the curiosity of the worldwide recreation or cricket followers worldwide, together with hundreds of thousands inside Pakistan itself. It urged the PCB to think about the long-term implications for cricket within the nation, warning that the transfer may have wider penalties for the worldwide cricket ecosystem, of which Pakistan is a member and beneficiary.
The ICC mentioned its precedence stays the profitable supply of the Males’s T20 World Cup and pressured that this accountability lies with all member boards, together with the PCB. It added that it expects the PCB to work in direction of a mutually acceptable decision that safeguards the pursuits of all stakeholders.
The warning follows an earlier announcement by the Pakistani authorities confirming that the nationwide staff will boycott its group-stage match in opposition to India on the match, regardless of receiving approval to journey to Sri Lanka for the occasion.
In a submit on its official X account, the federal government mentioned Pakistan would take part within the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 however wouldn’t play the match scheduled in opposition to India. No motive was given for the choice.
The India–Pakistan conflict is thought to be probably the most profitable fixture in worldwide cricket and has featured in each ICC world occasion since 2012, at the same time as diplomatic tensions have prevented bilateral sequence between the 2 international locations for practically 14 years. If the withdrawal stands, the 2026 World Cup would develop into the primary males’s ICC match since 2010 with out an India–Pakistan encounter.
Uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation had grown in current weeks after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi mentioned the federal government would determine the nation’s involvement within the match, following Bangladesh’s removing from the occasion over safety issues associated to taking part in in India.
The ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in February.
