Dubai: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has termed Pakistan’s decision to boycott their scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against India as “unexpected”, questioning the logic of withdrawing from a high-stakes tournament match.
Pakistan earlier announced a boycott of the February 15 clash against India in Colombo, aligning with Bangladesh’s stance of not traveling to India for the tournament. The move has sparked debate across cricketing circles, given the significance of every group-stage point in a World Cup campaign.
“In a World Cup, every point is important,” Ganguly said. “Backing out of a World Cup for what? They are playing in Sri Lanka, in any case. I am surprised by Pakistan backing out.”
India Reaffirms Its Stance
India, meanwhile, has maintained that it is fully prepared to play the fixture as scheduled at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Speaking at the Captains’ Media Briefing in Colombo, India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that the team’s approach remains unchanged despite the uncertainty surrounding the contest.
“Our mindset is clear; we will play. Our flight is booked, and we are going. For the rest, they can see for themselves. Their decision is not in my control,” Suryakumar said, according to the ICC.
He added that India had previously played Pakistan at neutral venues, including during the Asia Cup 2025, and was prepared for the February 15 encounter.
“We are ready and going to Colombo. We have been told we have a game on 15th Feb,” he stated.
Tournament Context
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8. India begins their campaign against the USA on February 7, followed by their second group-stage fixture on February 12 before the high-profile clash against Pakistan.
With group-stage margins often tight, Ganguly’s comments underline the competitive cost of forfeiting a match at this level. As the tournament progresses, clarity from the ICC will determine how the situation impacts Group A standings and the broader narrative of the event.
With inputs from ANI
