India and Pakistan used to be archrivals when it came to cricket matches. That fact still remains. The two countries, broken away by partition, continue to be each other’s fiercest rivals, but there’s
more tension surrounding their matches than just on field cricket.
The past few days have seen rising tensions between the two countries in the run up to their scheduled ICC T20 World Cup match. The Pakistan Cricket Board this year said no to playing against India, despite the match scheduled at a neutral venue in Sri Lanka’s Colombo.
Why Did Pakistan Refuse To Play Against India?
Pakistan’s initial stand not to play India was a political reaction linked to ICC expelling Bangladesh from the tournament after the team’s refusal to play matches in India. The ICC replaced it with Scotland.
The Pakistan government and PCB criticised this move as unfair or “double standards” by the ICC. Pakistan announced it would not take the field against India in their scheduled group match in Colombo.
The ICC warned that selective refusal to play an opponent goes against tournament rules and the spirit of global events. After about ten days of uncertainty and intense diplomatic and cricket board negotiations (including pressure from Sri Lanka, the UAE, and the ICC), Pakistan withdrew the boycott. The Pakistani government directed the team to play the India match on 15 February 2026 as scheduled.
When Was The Last Time India Played Cricket In Pakistan?
The last time India played cricket in Pakistan was the 2008 Asia Cup in June–July 2008. On July 6, 2008, India played the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka at National Stadium in Karachi. That was the Indian cricket team’s last match in Pakistan.
When Was The Last Time Pakistan Played Cricket In India?
The last time Pakistan played cricket in India was during the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. On March 27, 2016, Pakistan played Australia in the tournament at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. That was Pakistan’s last cricket match played in India.
Why Did The Two Teams Stop Playing On Each Other’s Soil?
While security concerns have remained between the two countries with Pakistani terror groups carrying out attacks in India and incidents of ceasefire violations, the biggest trigger was the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, in November 2008, in which 166 people were killed.
Following the dastardly attacks, India suspended bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan. Public and political opinion in India turned strongly against sporting engagement with Pakistan. The Government of India also didn’t approve any tours of the Indian cricket team to Pakistan. Since then, India has not toured Pakistan.
The last bilateral series India played in Pakistan was in 2006 (Test and ODI series).
Pakistan toured India in 2012–13 but India did not reciprocate with a full tour.
After the 2016 Pathankot attack and later Uri attack, tensions escalated again. India refused to play Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and eventually, the tournament was moved to England.
Since then, no bilateral series has been revived between India and Pakistan. The Indian government has consistently maintained that bilateral cricket cannot continue unless cross-border terrorism concerns are addressed.
What Is The Current Understanding Between India And Pakistan On Global Tournaments?
In 2023-24, India and Pakistan reached an arrangement that:
- India will not travel to Pakistan for ICC tournaments hosted there.
- Pakistan will not travel to India for ICC tournaments hosted there.
- Instead, matches involving the two teams in such events will be played at neutral venues.
- This applies to the current ICC events cycle (2024–2027).
This understanding ensures both teams can participate in global tournaments without either government having to approve travel to the other country.
Under this arrangement, India’s matches in the 2025 Champions Trophy, hosted by Pakistan, were played at a neutral venue under the hybrid model. The reciprocal clause ensures Pakistan would also not travel to India if an ICC event is hosted there during this cycle, which is being followed in the ongoing T20 World Cup being hosted by India.
