Pakistan on Sunday announced a boycott of its high-profile men’s T20 World Cup group league match against India, a move that is likely to have serious repercussions even as the government cleared the national team’s participation in the rest of the global event starting February 7.“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the government posted on social media.The ICC, on its part questioned the Pakistan government’s decision and also issued a warning that this boycott could lead to punitive sanctions.“The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of,” the global body said in a statement.“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” it further stated. PTIPlayers will follow whatever decision government and Board take: Pakistan captain SalmanFebruary 2, 2026 6:43 pmKarachi: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha on Monday said the players will follow whatever instructions are given to them by the government or the cricket Board with regards to boycotting the marquee T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo. Salman told the media before leaving with the team from Lahore to Colombo that the players had been informed about the decision by the team manager on Sunday immediately after the match against Australia. “We are players contracted to the Board and whatever decision our government and Board have taken all the players are on board with it,” he said. Salman said that the T20 World Cup was not just about playing against India and the team was going to Sri Lanka with the aim to perform well and try to win all its matches against every side in the tournament. “We have three other group matches so we will try to win all of them and qualify for next round,” he said. PTINo Indo-Pak contest in T20 World Cup could cause losses of USD 250 millionFebruary 2, 2026 6:32 pmNew Delhi: An India-Pakistan fixture in an ICC event generates revenue to the tune of a staggering “USD 250 million (over Rs 2,200 crore)”, as per some estimates and the absence of the cash-cow fixture from the upcoming T20 World Cup is certain to cause heavy losses to all stakeholders. Such is the pull of the contest between the arch-rivals, who only play in multi-team competitions due to the tense relations between the two countries, that the ICC places them in the same pool in every world event. On Sunday, the Pakistan government announced its team’s boycott of the marquee clash in Colombo on February 15. If Pakistan remain adamant, they would risk losing millions in revenues and a no-show would cause significant financial damage to the ICC coffers and India media rights holder JioStar which is already trying to renegotiate a USD 3 billion deal with the world body. The host broadcaster could incur advertisement revenue losses in the range of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for a marquee game whose 10 second commercial slot can cost up to Rs 40 lakh. PTIDon’t mix politics with sports: J-K politicians react to Pak pulling out of T20 WC tie against IndiaFebruary 2, 2026 4:47 pmJammu: The Pakistan government’s decision to pull out from the high-profile T20 World Cup clash against India in Colombo on February 15 has evoked a strong response in the political corridors of Jammu and Kashmir, with some saying politics should not be mixed with sports, and others batting for sporting ties between the neighbours amid fractured ties. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said that while Pakistan’s decision will have no impact on India, sports and politics should remain separate. “What will happen if Pakistan doesn’t play (against India)? The decision makes no difference to us. India is a very big country, and Pakistan’s actions do not affect us in any way.” PDP MLA Wahid Rehman Para said that sports should transcend divisions, as he advocated for cricketing ties between the two nations to promote harmony. “India and Pakistan should play cricket as the spirit of sports is to foster goodwill between nations,” Para told reporters. PTIICC should take action: Gavaskar, Harbhajan slam Pakistan’s boycott of T20WC match against IndiaFebruary 2, 2026 3:15 pmFormer India captain Sunil Gavaskar foresees Pakistan making a “U-turn” but regardless of that, he called on the ICC to take legal action against the country for boycotting its T20 World Cup match against India on February 15. “I think in the next four or five days, when reactions start pouring in from across the world and even from their former players, there is a possibility that Pakistan will change their stance,” Gavaskar quipped on ‘India Today’. Former India off-spinner Harbhajan, speaking on his YouTube channel, said the ICC should not spare Pakistan for the last-minute decision.India responsible for decline of global cricket, says Pakistan Defence MinisterFebruary 2, 2026 2:15 pmPakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said India should be blamed for the downfall of cricket as a global game, following Pakistan’s call to boycott the India-Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup 2026.’Terror, cricket cannot go together,’ says Congress MP Manish TewariFebruary 2, 2026 1:48 pmCongress MP Manish Tewari said, “We should have never agreed to play against Pakistan because terror and cricket cannot go together. If we try to delink sports and terror, it does not make for a coherent policy. In fact, it insults the memory of all those who have been martyred as a consequence of Pakistan’s depredations over the past four-and-a-half decades.”ICC to decide Pakistan’s fate this weekFebruary 2, 2026 1:12 pmAs per reports, the ICC will hold a board meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday this week to decide any consequences for Pakistan. With action expected to follow soon after, the intrigue and drama of the situation are likely to spill over into the World Cup itself. The shockwaves, it seems, will never fully subside before the next controversy demands attention.BCCI backs ICC’s stance on Pakistan boycotting T20 WC match against India: Rajeev ShuklaFebruary 2, 2026 11:38 amThe BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) board agrees with the ICC’s stance on sportsmanship regarding Pakistan’s boycott of their T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India and will comment only after consulting the ICC. BCCI vice president and Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said, “ICC has issued a big statement, they have spoken about sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. BCCI won’t make any comments on it until we speak with the ICC.” Rajeev Shukla’s comments come after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC World T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15. The Pakistan government said in a post on X that the Pakistan team “shall not take the field” in the match against India.India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup clash: Politics disrupts cricket’s biggest showdownFebruary 2, 2026 11:25 amhttps://www.Jattvibe.com/news/cricket/india-vs-pakistan-t20-world-cup-clash-politics-disrupts-crickets-biggest-showdown/Pakistan’s net run rate to be impactedFebruary 2, 2026 9:37 amPakistan’s net run rate will be hit affected by the forfeiture, according to ICC’s Playing Conditions, while India’s net run rate will remain unchanged. Clause 16.10.7 of the ICC Playing Conditions states that in the event of a forfeit, “the net run rate of the defaulting team shall be affected, with the full 20 overs of the defaulting team’s innings in the forfeited match taken into account when calculating the average runs per over over the relevant portion of the competition.”’Not our decision, it’s the Board’s,” says Salman Ali AghaFebruary 2, 2026 9:10 am”This is not our decision; it is a decision taken by our Board, and we will stick with it,” said Pakistan cricketer Salman Ali Agha.India to travel to Sri Lanka on February 15, follow ICC protocol despite match uncertaintyFebruary 2, 2026 9:00 amIndia will travel to Sri Lanka on February 15 and follow ICC protocol. The team will practice as scheduled, attend the press conference, and reach the stadium on time before waiting for the match referee to officially call off the match, BCCI sources said.Possible sanctions by ICCFebruary 2, 2026 8:42 amAn affiliated member has refused to travel to Pakistan for a bilateral series. Even if the matches are played, results may not affect ICC rankings. Pakistan could also be stripped of World Test Championship (WTC) points. The PCB may be required to compensate ICC’s broadcaster, Jio Star, for revenue losses. Advertisement losses from a potential India-Pakistan T20 game could exceed Rs 200 crore. Uganda is likely to replace Pakistan in the tournament if required. ICC officials will hold a virtual meeting on Monday to decide further action. The ICC is yet to receive official confirmation from the PCB.Madan Lal slams Pakistan govt, PCB for ‘damaging their own cricket’February 2, 2026 8:40 am”I think the Pakistan government or the PCB are damaging their own cricket. This approach is not going to solve their problems. Someone needs to step in and think sensibly, because right now they are not thinking clearly. They want to support Bangladesh – fine, keep supporting Bangladesh – but that’s not Pakistan’s business. In the end, both Bangladesh and Pakistan will suffer. The main issue is that countries like New Zealand, England, South Africa and Australia are the biggest stakeholders in world cricket. They get the crowds and attract the sponsorship,” former Indian cricketer Madan Lal reacts to Pakistan’s boycott of India T20 world cup match.Decision sign of ‘protest’ against ICCFebruary 2, 2026 8:26 amThe decision, conveyed through an official government statement, is being seen as a political protest linked to Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament after the world body declined its request to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka on security grounds.