The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday strongly criticised Pakistan’s decision to boycott their scheduled group-stage match against India at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, calling the move “against the sportsmanship of any sport.”
“Very Wrong Decision,” Says BCCI
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the WPL 2026 final at the BCA Stadium, BCCI Joint Secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia did not mince words while reacting to Pakistan’s announcement regarding the February 15 fixture. “This is against the sportsmanship of any sport. This is a very wrong decision by Pakistan. I am sure the International Cricket Council will take very strict action, and we will wait for the ICC’s decision,” Bhatia said.
When asked about possible punitive measures, he added that it would be inappropriate to speculate, reiterating his confidence that the ICC would act decisively.
Suryakumar Yadav: India Fully Prepared
Earlier in the day, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed the BCCI’s stance, asserting that the Indian team’s preparation remains unaffected by Pakistan’s boycott call. Speaking at the captains’ media briefing in Colombo, Suryakumar said India’s approach would stay unchanged and that the team was ready for any challenge, including the high-profile clash at the R Premadasa Stadium.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8. India will open their campaign against the USA on February 7, followed by a group-stage match against Namibia on February 12. Group A also includes the Netherlands, alongside the Pakistan national cricket team.
With tensions rising over the boycott announcement, all eyes are now on the ICC’s response. While India insist their focus remains firmly on cricket, the situation has added an unexpected layer of controversy to one of the most anticipated tournaments on the global calendar.
India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh.
