India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup Boycott LIVE Updates: ICC, PCB set for Meeting in Lahore, Bangladesh also joins

India vs Pakistan Boycott Live Updates:

The T20 World Cup 2026 has been plunged into crisis by a high-stakes boycott row threatening the marquee India-Pakistan clash scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Pakistan announced it would participate in the tournament but skip the Group A encounter against India, citing solidarity with Bangladesh, which was replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India over security concerns.

Check out the Latest on India vs Pakistan boycott updates here. Keep refreshing for latest developments.

India vs Pakistan Boycott T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly endorsed the decision, framing it as standing by Bangladesh while insisting "there should be no politics on the sports field. " The move marks a rare instance of a government

directing a selective boycott in an ICC event, potentially marking the first forfeited India-Pakistan World Cup match in history.

The stakes are enormous. India-Pakistan matches drive massive global viewership and revenue estimates suggest a boycott could cost world cricket hundreds of millions of dollars. The ICC has rejected Pakistan's "force majeure" claim and warned the PCB of severe financial penalties and sanctions if the match is skipped.

As of February 8, 2026, back-channel talks are intensifying. ICC officials are heading to Lahore for negotiations with the PCB, while the Bangladesh Cricket Board chief has arrived for discussions. Reports indicate the PCB has softened its stance after learning the scale of potential damages, though it has denied directly approaching the ICC for a U-turn.

On the Indian side, captain Suryakumar Yadav affirmed the team's readiness to travel to Colombo. Legendary commentator Sunil Gavaskar criticized Pakistan, noting that India has historically extended gestures that are rarely reciprocated.

T20 World Cup: India, Pakistan start with Victories

India and Pakistan both have started their World Cup campaign with victories. Pakistan secured a big win over Netherlands while India also started with a victory over USA in their respective opening matches.