Pakistan team has arrived in Colombo for the T20 World Cup 2026. The Salman Ali Agha-led side will begin the campaign against Netherlands in Colombo on February 7. Pakistan have been placed in Group A along side Namibia, Netherlands, USA and India.
The Pakistan Government had earlier announced that the team will feature in the tournament but will boycott the match against India.
“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.”
Later in a statement, ICC noted, “The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.”
Team Pakistan arrive in Colombo, ready to kickstart their campaign at the ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup 🙌
Watch them in #T20WorldCup 👉 #PAKvNED | SAT, FEB 7, 10:30 PM pic.twitter.com/SMfAqWZ5Vc
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 3, 2026
Welcome to Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 🇵🇰 🙏
سری لنکا میں خوش آمدید🙏A warm welcome to Team Pakistan 🇵🇰 as they arrive for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 💚🏏
Wishing @TheRealPCB a great tournament filled with exciting cricket. #T20WorldCup #PakistanCricket
Ayubovan ආයුබෝවන් வணக்கம்… pic.twitter.com/vCsetn4tha
— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet) February 2, 2026
The ICC said that such “selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.” The statement went on to stress the importance of fairness and integrity in ICC tournaments, saying, “ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”While the ICC acknowledged that governments play a role in national policy, it expressed concern over the wider impact of Pakistan’s stance. “While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the statement read.
Covering sports for fun. Cricket in whites remains the first love—the kind that teaches patience, rewards nuance, and tells stories over five days rather than five seconds.
