(Image source from: PTI)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has established requirements for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to rethink its choice to abstain from the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, as stated by The Telegraph. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has confirmed that the national team will not compete with India during the group stage on February 15. However, the report mentions that there are ongoing discreet discussions between the ICC and PCB, with Imran Khwaja, the ICC's deputy chair, taking the lead in the talks for the international governing body. If a boycott occurs, Pakistan might encounter significant financial penalties, and they have also been approached by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to reconsider their position. At the same time, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan remarked that Pakistan could change its mind at any moment regarding their decision to boycott their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India on February 15 in Colombo.

During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Irfan Pathan mentioned that Pakistan might change its mind about boycotting the match against India but raised doubts about their capability to compete against India. Pathan highlighted India's recent success against their rivals, which includes three victories over Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup. He stated, "In the group rounds, you won't find any challenges. Pakistan has opted to boycott the game versus India, but they could change that at any time. Even if they do change their decision, will they actually challenge us? If you examine earlier World Cups or past matches between India and Pakistan, it doesn’t seem like Pakistan could put up a fight against India. India has triumphed over Pakistan three times in the 2025 Asia Cup." Irfan Pathan’s remarks come amid uncertainty surrounding the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match scheduled for February 15 at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium.

It’s important to note that Pakistan chose to boycott its group match against India in the T20 World Cup after the government of Pakistan announced on X that the Pakistan Team "shall not take the field" for the match against India without giving any explanation. In response to the decision by the Pakistan government, the International Cricket Council (ICC) released a statement indicating that "selective participation" is unjust to the "basic idea of a global sports event" and expressed its expectation that the PCB would seek a resolution that is acceptable to all parties involved.