Pakistan has refused to play their World Cup match against India, despite the match being scheduled for a neutral venue as the Pakistan government refused to grant permission for the players to play and decided not to play against India. In reply, ICC issued a media advisory where they acknowledged the Pakistan government’s statement. Now the former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has taken a dig at it. Till now, there has been no confirmation from both sides whether they will face each other or not.
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The Pakistan government shared the announcement on X which reads, “ 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.”
Sunil Gavaskar exposed Pakistan
Taking a dig on former PCB chairman’s statement that India bullied them for a long time, in an India Today interview Sunil Gavaskar exposed them by dismissing the “bullying” narrative outright, pointing out that India has historically taken the initiative by inviting Pakistani actors and singers to perform in the country, while such gestures have rarely been reciprocated from across the border.
He has also said that he has never been invited to do commentary in Pakistan. “The question is we are never asked, nobody from India has ever asked, that is the point I was making is that you know Pakistan wants always India to invite but we have never heard, I am talking even before the relations got to the state that they are in today, there was hardly anything, how many of our singers, how many of our you know maybe film stars are invited to act in Pakistani films or even before, before like I said before relations.” He added.
ICC’s stance on the matter
After the matter, ICC directed the Pakistan team to selectively participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and is awaiting official clarification from the PCB. It said selective participation conflicts with the principles of fairness, integrity and equal competition that underpin global tournaments. While respecting governmental roles, the ICC believes the decision harms the game and its fans, including those in Pakistan. The ICC urged the PCB to consider long-term consequences for Pakistan and world cricket, stressing its priority is the successful staging of the tournament and calling for a mutually acceptable resolution that protects all stakeholders.
