Khawaja also called for the creation of a new global cricket governing body as tensions rise ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.

Islamabad, February 3: Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) and accused the global cricket body of acting under the influence of India. Khawaja also called for the creation of a new global cricket governing body as tensions rise ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.

Khawaja Asif's Social Media Post

Khawaja Asif took to his official social media account and said, "A new international organization of cricket is needed to keep the spirit of the gentleman’s game alive." He added that the ICC had become "Hostage to Indian political interests in South Asia." He openly questioned the independence of the body.

Pakistan To Skip Match Against India

Pakistan cleared its team to participate in the World Cup but announced that it would boycott the game against India on February in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Pakistan Cricket Board did not provide a reason behind the decision. The ICC responded by saying that the move was "not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan."

Bangladesh-Scotland Swap Sparks Row

Pakistan's criticism follows the ICC's decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland for the tournament. Bangladesh had reportedly asked for their matches to be shifted outside of India due to security concerns amid rising political tensions between the two countries. Pakistan came out in support of Bangladesh and said that the decision was selective and reflected biased governance.

Political Tensions Spill Into Cricket

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012 due to the spike in political tensions between the nations. Their rivalry has largely been confined to only multinational tournaments. The conflict was mostly visible during the Asia Cup 2025 in September last year. Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players in protest of the Pahalgam terrorist attack which the lives of 26 people.