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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that sports should remain separate from politics while addressing the federal cabinet in Islamabad regarding the T20 World Cup decision.
He confirmed that the national team will not play the match against India, stating that the government carefully reviewed the situation before deciding on participation in the mega event.
“We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup: we will not play the match against India. There should be no politics in sports,” Sharif said.
PM Sharif called the decision “right” and explained that it followed careful consideration, balancing national interests, diplomatic concerns, and respect for sports and international relations.
The government had earlier approved Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 but clearly stated that the team would skip the Group A match against India on February 15 in Colombo.
Yesterday, reports stated that barring the Men in Green prompted the ICC to start back-channel talks, exploring options and addressing concerns before the February 15 match in Sri Lanka.
A well-placed source also confirmed that a couple of other cricket boards have stepped in to assist the ICC in reaching a settlement with the Pakistan Cricket Board to avoid major financial losses.
The decision has sparked serious worries about possible global financial losses exceeding $250 million, as each India-Pakistan cricket match between 2023 and 2027 could generate revenue under the $3 billion ICC broadcast deal.
It is worth noting that Pakistan will kick off their campaign against the Netherlands in the curtain-raiser of the marquee event at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 7.
The Green Shirts have been placed in Group A alongside the Netherlands, the United States, arch-rival India, and Namibia, with all their matches scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka.
