Cricket news: Pakistan reverse boycott of T20 World Cup fixture against India

The Pakistan government has reversed an order for the Pakistan cricket team to boycott their T20 World Cup fixture against India.

Pakistan announced on 1 February they would forfeit the India match in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were booted from the tournament after refusing to play in India.

The most-watched cricket match in the world will now go ahead after talks between the Pakistani and Sri Lankan prime ministers as well as appeals from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Attack builds tension

After a terrorist attack in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025, where 26 civilians were killed in Pahalgam, India accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism.

Operation Sindoor was launched by India on 7 May, striking militant groups in Pakistan, with Pakistani authorities reporting that civilian areas were also struck.

After a response from the Pakistan army that targeted Indian military bases, a ceasefire was agreed on 10 May.

Tension during the four-day military conflict then boiled over into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 franchise tournament.

The PSL was impacted as Sony and FanCode stopped broadcasting the tournament and all Indian media personnel left the country.

On 8 May, a fixture was even postponed after a civilian was killed by a shot-down Indian drone, and the tournament was briefly to be concluded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before returning after the ceasefire.

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Asia Cup trouble

The 2025 Asia Cup tournament was due to be held in India, but it was moved to the UAE as a neutral venue.

During the tournament, tensions grew as handshakes were refused between the two sides in both group-stage and second-round games.

The teams later met in the final, which India won by five wickets, although there was uncertainty leading into the showpiece around whether or not the Pakistan team would play.

After the earlier fixtures, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav paid tributes to victims of the Pahalgam attack and to the Indian armed forces.

Haris Rauf also nearly came to blows with Abhishek Sharma during the Super Fours tie, forcing the umpire to intervene.

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Champions Trophy clashes

The 2025 Champions Trophy, an eight-team 50-over tournament, was the first major tournament to be held in Pakistan since 1996, but the build-up was overshadowed by the Indians.

India refused to play in Pakistan due to security fears, which resulted in an agreement that any India versus Pakistan tie at an ICC event between 2024 and 2027 would be at a neutral ground.

For the 2025 Champions Trophy, India would play all their matches in Dubai, with Indian television broadcasts removing any mention of Pakistan from tournament branding.

In the end, India retained the Champions Trophy by defeating New Zealand by four wickets as Pakistan’s tournament concluded in the UAE.

Board members from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were also present at the trophy ceremony, which was reportedly not discussed with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

It is moreover important to note that the current chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is Jay Shah, the son of Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah and the former BCCI chief.

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Bangladesh board’s involvement

Bangladesh refused to play matches in India during the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka, due to safety fears in a similar scenario to India at the Champions Trophy.

The Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise had been ordered to release bowler Mutafizur Rahman from the squad by the BCCI after tensions arose between the nations surrounding former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina was deposed in 2024 and fled to India, where she is in hiding despite facing 135 murder charges and seven crimes against humanity, with India refusing to cooperate with the new government.

After the ICC refused to move Bangladesh’s fixtures, Scotland replaced Bangladesh in the tournament and Pakistan announced a boycott in solidarity.

However, the BCB later urged the PCB to reverse the boycott “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem”.

Bangladesh will also not be punished for their boycott and have been awarded hosting rights for an event between 2028 and 2031.

A complex dispute has thus been settled for now, yet great uncertainty remains around the future of the most watched cricket fixture.

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