Pakistan has announced that it will not play the group stage match against India in the T20 World Cup. This decision could create a major financial and commercial crisis in world cricket. According to analysts, the potential loss to world cricket due to the boycott of this one match could be at least more than 250 million US dollars (about 3,750 million taka in Bangladeshi currency). In such a situation, broadcasters may also question the role of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The decision not to play the match against India comes at a time when Pakistan has whitewashed Australia 3-0 in the T20 series. In an announcement made on social media, the Pakistan government said that even if it is allowed to participate in the World Cup, the Pakistan team will not play the match scheduled for February 15 against India.

The tournament had already been rocked by the exclusion of Bangladesh from the World Cup. The ICC included Scotland instead of Bangladesh, who did not want to play in India, citing security concerns.

Pakistan has been reacting in a variety of ways since that decision, and many see the announcement of not playing against India as a result of that ongoing tension.

According to experts, the India-Pakistan match is one of the most lucrative events in world cricket. With the bilateral series between the two countries having been suspended for a long time, these matches are the main attraction for broadcasting rights in the ICC’s global events.

The ICC’s broadcasting deal for the 2023-2027 period is worth around $3 billion. Industry sources claim that the estimated market value of each India-Pakistan match during this period is around $250 million.
Pakistan’s decision came after several meetings between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The government’s announcement said, “The government of Pakistan has approved the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the T20 World Cup. However, the Pakistan team will not take the field in the match scheduled for February 15 against India.”

Within hours, the ICC issued a statement urging Pakistan to reconsider its decision, saying that the decision to not participate in certain matches was not consistent with the fundamental principles of global sporting competition.

In the words of the ICC, “ICC tournaments are based on sporting integrity, competition, consistency and fairness. Playing matches selectively undermines the spirit of this competition.”

The ICC also said that it respects the role of governments in national policy-making. However, this decision is not in the best interests of global cricket or the millions of fans around the world. At the same time, it has urged the PCB to consider the long-term impact on cricket in the country.

Incidentally, India played in the United Arab Emirates instead of India in the 2025 Champions Trophy due to the decision of the Indian government. After that incident, Pakistan’s matches were scheduled in Sri Lanka in this year’s T20 World Cup under the ‘hybrid model’. However, Pakistan had accused the ICC of being duplicitous regarding the Bangladesh issue.

The T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is starting on February 7. The cricket world is now looking at Pakistan’s final position.