The Pakistan cricket team has arrived in Colombo ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, amid uncertainty over its proposed boycott of the Group A match against India. The PCB shared visuals of the squad landing in Sri Lanka before the February 7 tournament opener. Captain Salman Ali Agha said the players fully support government and PCB directives regarding the India fixture.

The Pakistan national cricket team has landed in Colombo as they prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, even as turmoil surrounds their planned boycott of the high-profile Group A clash against India. Videos and images circulated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) show the team in their World Cup kit arriving in Sri Lanka ahead of the tournament’s start on February 7.

Team captain Salman Ali Agha confirmed before departure that the entire squad is aligned with government and cricket board directives related to the India match, reflecting unity among the players on the issue.

The boycott stems from a government decision that grants Pakistan permission to compete in the tournament but prohibits the side from taking the field against India on February 15 in Colombo, a fixture that is traditionally one of cricket’s most watched. The PCB has not formally filed its position with the International Cricket Council (ICC), leaving the global body in procedural limbo as it contemplates possible consequences.

Political tensions have heavily influenced the move. While Pakistan will play its other group matches in Sri Lanka against teams like the Netherlands, USA, and Namibia, the decision to skip the India match has triggered broad debate both within Pakistan and among the international cricket community about the intersection of diplomacy and sport.

As the tournament approaches, Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup is assured, but the unresolved status of the boycott and its ramifications for cricket diplomacy and future bilateral play continue to loom large.

IND vs PAK T20 World Cup Row: ICC Waits On PCB As Boycott Threat Leaves Board Meeting Uncertain, Says Report

The controversy over Pakistan’s intention to boycott its high-profile T20 World Cup group-stage match against India has taken another dramatic turn, with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) planned board meeting still unresolved and no formal action taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The situation has left cricket’s governing body and other stakeholders in a state of procedural uncertainty, as the ICC waits for an official communication from the PCB confirming its stance on forfeiting the February 15 fixture in Colombo. To date, the only declaration has been a government directive posted on social media, instructing the Pakistan team not to take the field against India despite approving its participation in the tournament overall.

Under ICC protocols, a social media post does not qualify as formal notice of a team’s intention to forfeit a match. As a result, the world body has not moved forward with scheduling or concluding a board meeting to discuss potential decisions or sanctions.

The crux of the impasse lies in the fact that the PCB has not yet officially written to the ICC to communicate its intended boycott of the India match. Without that step, the governing body is unable to formally deliberate or impose penalties, even as its earlier public statement strongly criticized the notion of selective participation.