Can Pakistan Boycott Only India Game In T20 World Cup 2026? ICC Rules And Regulations Explained

The Pakistan government directed its men's team not to be involved with India in the T20 World Cup on February 15. The move came in the aftermath of Bangladesh's ouster from the T20 World Cup, as the ICC replaced them with Scotland due to their refusal to travel to India. Pakistan are scheduled to play all of their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's boycott of the India match in the showpiece event could bear heavy repercussions. Due to the scarcity of bilateral matches between the countries, people keenly wait for ICC and ACC tournaments to cheer for their favourite side. India last faced Pakistan in the Asia Cup last year and thrashed the Men In Green three times on their way to the title.

ICC has already officially communicated that they don't support the idea of selective participation, and it is not ideal for a tournament like the T20 World Cup. 

What Does The Official ICC Rule Say On Boycotting Matches?

If Pakistan stay adamant in their stance, they will have to forfeit the two points for the match. Added to that, Pakistan's Net Run Rate will also take a hit as per the official ICC rulebook. As per Clause 16.10.7, "the net run rate of the defaulting team shall be affected in that the full 20 overs of the defaulting team's innings in such forfeited match shall be taken into account in calculating the average runs per over of the defaulting team over the course of the relevant portion of the competition."

Why Pakistan cannot Afford To Boycott India Match?

ICC also does not allow governments to intervene in the cricket board's internal matters and has strict rules and regulations in place if it finds any wrongdoing. By not communicating their official stand to the ICC, PCB has opened up a potential feud with the world cricket's governing body, and they could face further penalty as per Article 2.4 D. Teams have boycotted matches earlier, but with Pakistan refusing to play India at a neutral venue, ICC does have a very strong case as it stands.

In the past, Australia and the  West Indies declined to travel to Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup, while England also conveyed their security concerns in travelling to Zimbabwe during the 2003 World Cup. So will ICC waive off Pakistan?

Also Read: Pakistan Yet To Communicate Formal Word Over India Match Boycott In T20 World Cup, No ICC Board Meeting After PCB's Latest Move: Report

All the aforementioned matches happened when the ICC failed to address the security threats and the opponent teams had to be awarded full points. But this time, all of Pakistan's concerns have also been addressed, which has left the PCB on the brink. According to a report from The Age, the India vs Pakistan match is worth $250 million and the ball is in the ICC's court as they could face huge financial losses if Pakistan go ahead with their boycott drama.

Also Read: Pakistan's $250 Million T20 World Cup Crisis Puts ICC And Cricket On Brink Of Existential Threat