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India vs Pakistan (Getty Images)
NEW DELHI: India volition spell up with its plans for the February 15 lucifer against Pakistan astatine the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, adjacent though Pakistan person decided not to play. According to sources successful the Board of Control for Cricket successful India (BCCI), the Indian squad volition strictly travel ICC protocol connected lucifer day.“India volition question to Sri Lanka connected 15th February and travel ICC protocol. They volition signifier arsenic per schedule, bash a property league and scope the stadium according to clip and hold for the lucifer referee to telephone disconnected the match,” BCCI sources told quality bureau ANI.Earlier connected Sunday, the Government of Pakistan officially confirmed that its nationalist squad volition boycott the group-stage lucifer against India. The announcement was made done an authoritative connection posted connected X.
While Pakistan has allowed its squad to question to Sri Lanka for the tournament, it made wide that the February 15 fixture against India volition not beryllium played. No crushed was fixed for the decision.“The authorities of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants support to the Pakistan Cricket Team to enactment successful the World T20 2026, nevertheless the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not instrumentality tract successful the lucifer scheduled connected 15 February 2026 against India,” the connection read.
The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash was scheduled to beryllium played successful Colombo arsenic portion of Group A. However, Pakistan’s determination present puts the fixture successful doubt. As of now, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not formally informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) astir the boycott, according to TimesofIndia.com sources.Questions implicit Pakistan’s information had surfaced earlier arsenic well. PCB president Mohsin Naqvi had raised concerns aft Bangladesh was removed from the tourney connected January 24 owed to information issues successful India.
Pakistan was the lone state to backmost Bangladesh’s petition for a neutral venue. The PCB besides accused the ICC of showing treble standards successful India’s favour.After gathering Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi said the authorities would instrumentality the last call. He added that helium had been advised to support each options open, with a determination expected by “Friday oregon adjacent Monday.”Despite the controversy, Pakistan is acceptable to question to Colombo connected Monday. The Salman Ali Agha-led broadside volition play a warm-up lucifer against Ireland connected February 4. Their World Cup run begins against the Netherlands connected February 7, followed by matches against the USA connected February 10 and Namibia connected February 18.If Pakistan sticks to its decision, it volition forfeit 2 points from the lucifer against India. The last telephone connected the fixture present rests with the ICC and the lucifer referee connected the day.
