Sunil Gavaskar Asks ICC to Take Action Against PCB After Pakistan Boycott of T20 World Cup Game vs India: 'That is an Issue'

India vs Pakistan: The Pakistan government stepped in from nowhere and took a call the cricket board was ideally supposed to make. The government of Pakistan confirmed that the team will play the marquee event but will not play the game against India on February 15 in Colombo. The move made by the government has been met with sharp criticism across cricketing circles. 

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is the latest to give his two cents on this matter. As per Gavaskar, boycotting the game at the 11th hour is not the right move and urged the ICC to take action against it. 

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‘That is an issue’

"Definitely, I think if you withdraw at the last moment, that is an issue. If you withdraw earlier on, that's another matter altogether. But if you withdraw at the last moment, on the eve of the tournament, then yes, I think certainly the ICC should come in and take some action. I don't know what action they will take, but I think there are so many other boards involved, so it's not just going to be one person's decision. However, it should be something that ensures no other team in the future also considers doing that," Gavaskar told India Today.

Once the Pakistan government took this call, the apex cricketing body reacted to it. In a hard-hitting statement issued by the ICC, it asked Pakistan to reconsider its decision to forfeit the T20 World Cup match against India. 

Full ICC statement here

The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.

ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.

While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.

The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.

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The ICC's priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB. It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.