Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Amir Mir has rejected Indian media reports claiming that the PCB has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the Pakistan-India match issue at the T20 World Cup 2026.
“I categorically reject the claim by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta that PCB approached the ICC. As usual, sections of Indian media are busy circulating fiction. A little patience and time will clearly show who actually went knocking and who didn’t,” Amir Mir said in a statement referring to the Pakistan-India match boycott issue.
The clarification comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Group A match against India scheduled for February 15, 2026, in Colombo during the ICC T20 World Cup.
Earlier, a post from the Government of Pakistan’s official X account confirmed that while permission had been granted for the national team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament, “the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India”. No specific reason was cited in the statement.
It is understood that the PCB has not yet formally written to the ICC regarding the boycott.
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According to a report by Al Jazeera on February 7, the ICC is in talks with the PCB to resolve the Pakistan-India match boycott issue through dialogue. Citing a source familiar with the matter, the report said the ICC was seeking a resolution without confrontation after receiving communication from the PCB following a formal query from the cricket body.
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The Pakistan-India clash is considered one of the most commercially valuable fixtures in world cricket, generating millions in broadcast and sponsorship revenue. However, political tensions have cast a shadow over the tournament. Bangladesh had earlier refused to play in India citing security concerns and was replaced by Scotland.
As a protest, Pakistan decided not to face co-hosts India in the Group A encounter. If the match is forfeited, Pakistan risks losing two points and suffering a setback to its net run rate in the 20-team competition.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav has stated that his team would travel to Colombo for the match.
Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for over a decade and meet only during global or regional tournaments.