India vs Pakistan: T20 World Cup – teams, start time, lineups

India and Pakistan will face off in a highly anticipated T20 World Cup group stage match on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The match is a repeat of the 2025 Asian Cup final, which India won. The game was nearly cancelled due to political tensions, as Pakistan initially boycotted the match in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were expelled from the tournament for refusing to play in India. However, after discussions with the ICC, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, Pakistan reversed its decision, allowing the match to proceed at a neutral venue in Sri Lanka, as agreed upon in 2024. The match will be closely watched globally, with attention on both the on-field rivalry and off-field gestures.

In a reversal of an earlier decision, Pakistan's cricket team will play its T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Pakistani government ordered the team to participate, overriding their initial boycott due to geopolitical tensions. This decision followed meetings between Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the Prime Minister, and representatives from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The ICC and BCB sought to convince Pakistan to play the match. The government also considered requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the UAE, as well as a phone call from Sri Lanka's President, urging them to reconsider. The cancellation of the high-profile game would have negatively impacted Sri Lanka's tourism-dependent economy.

Pakistan's government has approved the national cricket team's participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, which begins on Saturday. However, the government has stipulated that the team must boycott its Group A match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The reason for the boycott was not explicitly stated. The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman had previously criticized the International Cricket Council for alleged "double standards" regarding venue changes, though this was not directly linked to the boycott decision. The tournament features 20 teams.

Pakistan's government announced that its cricket team will participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 but will not play its scheduled match against India on February 15 in Colombo. The reason for the boycott was not specified in the statement. Pakistan's participation in the tournament was initially uncertain after the ICC ousted Bangladesh and replaced them with Scotland due to security concerns raised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board about playing in India. The Pakistan Cricket Board had supported Bangladesh and delayed making a final decision on its own participation. All of Pakistan's World Cup matches are scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan has announced it will boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15th. While no explicit reason was given initially, Pakistan's Interior Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, has blamed India for recent attacks in Balochistan. These attacks, which occurred on Saturday, targeted police stations and other locations in Balochistan, resulting in the deaths of civilians, security personnel, and fighters. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attacks, stating they targeted military installations and officials. The decision to boycott the match comes amid existing tensions between Pakistan and India.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has urged Pakistan to reconsider its boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Pakistan's boycott is in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after refusing to play matches in India. SLC cites potential financial losses and negative impacts on Sri Lanka's tourism industry as reasons for Pakistan to reconsider. SLC also highlighted Sri Lanka's past support for Pakistan when other nations avoided touring due to security concerns. While Pakistan is boycotting the match against India, the two teams may be forced to play each other if they reach the knockout stage.

Bangladesh approved its shooting team's participation in the Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi next month, despite recent security concerns. This decision comes shortly after the Bangladesh cricket team forfeited their place in the Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled from February 7 to March 8, due to their refusal to play in India, citing security issues. The International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh's request to move their World Cup matches to Sri Lanka, deeming the late change infeasible. The shooting contingent, consisting of a shooter, coach, and jury member, received approval from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to compete in India. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) confirmed Bangladesh's participation, stating that necessary clearances had been in process for months and that they adhere to international sporting regulations.

Pakistan is considering boycotting the T20 World Cup after Bangladesh was controversially expelled from the tournament by the ICC due to a dispute over relocating their matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed solidarity with Bangladesh, accusing the ICC of double standards, and has delayed a final decision on its participation until next week. All of Pakistan's matches are scheduled in Sri Lanka due to strained relations with India. The controversy stems from Bangladesh's request to move its games out of India following the removal of a Bangladeshi player from the Indian Premier League. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7.

This article examines a potential double standard within international cricket governance, specifically concerning Bangladesh and the International Cricket Council (ICC). It focuses on the exclusion of a Bangladeshi player from the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to safety concerns. This exclusion, according to the article, led to Bangladesh's withdrawal from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Samantha Johnson's analysis explores whether the ICC applies different safety standards to different nations. The article was published on January 30, 2026, as the T20 World Cup was beginning. It questions the consistency and fairness of the ICC's decisions regarding player safety and tournament participation.

Bangladesh withdrew from the upcoming T20 World Cup cricket tournament, hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February, citing security concerns. The International Cricket Council rejected Bangladesh's request to move its matches to Sri Lanka, leading to Scotland replacing them in the 20-team event. Pakistan is now considering boycotting the event as well, supporting Bangladesh's position. These actions highlight growing political tensions in South Asia, reportedly stemming from the release of a Bangladeshi bowler from an Indian cricket franchise and broader strained relations between India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These tensions have been escalating since a war between India and Pakistan last May and a change in government in Bangladesh in August 2024.

Bangladesh's interim government banned the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the country, escalating tensions with India. The ban was enacted in response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) directive to the Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Bangladesh's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cited the "unceremonious dumping" of the star player as the reason for the ban. Furthermore, Bangladesh has refused to play its Twenty20 (T20) World Cup matches in India, requesting they be moved to Sri Lanka due to safety concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed this decision after an emergency meeting, citing the need to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of the Bangladeshi contingent.

Citing player safety concerns amid rising political tensions with India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided that the Bangladesh national team will not play its scheduled T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India. The BCB will request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move Bangladesh's group-stage games to Sri Lanka. The decision follows the removal of Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL), which the BCB views as a safety risk for Bangladeshi players in India. The BCB is seeking clarity from the ICC regarding Rahman's IPL release and has urged the ICC to take swift action to relocate Bangladesh's matches to ensure the team's safety and well-being.