Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Reaffirms Boycott of T20 World Cup Clash Against India

Pakistan’s stance to boycott the match against India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 was emboldened after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s complete support behind the decision. He said the position taken by Pakistan is principled, as the nation stands in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was unfairly treated by the ICC recently.

Speaking to the cabinet members on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan cannot tolerate politics in sports, so it has taken a very serious and considered stance of not playing the match against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

"We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won't play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision." said Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif.

This is the first time any official from the Pakistan government or PCB has spoken about the situation that has sent shockwaves in the cricket world. Everyone understands the lucrative importance of the India vs Pakistan clash, so a potential boycott could seriously disrupt the financial model of the global cricket ecosystem.

Previously, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also expressed his frustration with the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh in the tournament. He openly criticized the double standards of the global body that took a biased approach in handling the security concerns of the Bangladesh team.

"You can't have double standards. You can't say for one country [India] they can do whatever they want and for the others to have to do the complete opposite. That's why we've taken this stand, and made clear Bangladesh have had an injustice done to them. They should play in the World Cup, they are a major stakeholder in cricket." said Mohsin Naqvi.