India now sets the terms of global cricket

Al JazeeraCenterEN 7 min read 100% complete by Andrew Fidel FernandoFebruary 7, 2026 at 09:52 AM

AI Summary

long article 7 min

In 2026, the global cricket landscape is being shaped by power dynamics, particularly India's influence. Pakistan boycotted a T20I World Cup match against India, prompting ICC concern for fans, but mirroring India's earlier refusal to play in Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, which resulted in shifting key matches to Dubai. This reciprocal action highlights a shift where political considerations outweigh sporting fairness. Bangladesh was later expelled from the T20I World Cup after demanding its matches be played in Sri Lanka due to an IPL team dropping a Bangladeshi player. These boycotts, despite claims of security concerns, are driven by political and economic power, influencing the ICC's decisions and the structure of international cricket tournaments.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Indian Premier League (IPL) 40% Asia Cup 40% Dubai 40% Champions Trophy 40% Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) 50% Sri Lanka ×250% Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) 60% T20I World Cup ×270% Bangladesh ×470% Pakistan ×980% International Cricket Council (ICC) ×685% India ×1090%

Keywords

global cricket 90% boycotts 80% icc 80% india 80% pakistan 70% power dynamics 70% cricket politics 60% t20 world cup 60% icc double standards 50% cricket governance 40%