EXCLUSIVE | ‘Cricket Is Not Free From Politics’ — Rashid Latif on Pakistan Boycotting India Match at T20 World Cup 2026

Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif has opened up about the Government’s decision of boycotting the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match slated to be played on February 15 in Colombo. In an exclusive conversation with NewsX , Latif said that whatever the decisions have been taken are beyond the sport.

“Cricket has always been bigger than borders, but in South Asia it is never free from politics. What we are seeing today is not just a cricketing decision, it is a political one taken at a very sensitive time. Timing matters more than intention, and right now the timing has complicated everything,” he said.

“The Government has taken the decision, not the cricket board, and that itself tells you how serious the matter is. Still, history shows us that decisions like these can be reversed. We have seen it before in the subcontinent. If Delhi, Islamabad, and Dhaka sit together, solutions are always possible. This is not about ego or votes; this is about 500 viewers and the future of the game,” he added.

The right-handed batter also criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and suggested that the two governing bodies should remain neutral.

“Cricket bodies like the ICC and ACC must remain neutral. Financial power cannot decide everything. If one country dominates decisions, the connection with fans weakens. A 25 -30% drop in revenue does not hurt one board alone—it hurts over 100 cricketing nations that depend on funding. In the long run, this pushes players toward leagues and slowly damages international cricket.”

The Government of Pakistan on Sunday made a post on their social media that said, “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”

Pakistan have been placed in Group A that also comprises Namibia, Netherlands and USA along side India. The side will begin the campaign against Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.

Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup 2026 : Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay ( wk ), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub , Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan ( wk ) and Usman Tariq 

Also Read: Pakistan To Boycott T20 World Cup 2026 Match Against India