Pakistan has made a U-turn and agreed to play its highly anticipated Twenty20 World Cup 2026 match against India on February 15 in Colombo, the Pakistan government announced on Monday night. The decision ends days of uncertainty and speculation over whether the marquee fixture would go ahead as originally scheduled.
Earlier this month, Pakistan had signalled a possible boycott of the clash in solidarity with Bangladesh after the latter was removed from the tournament for refusing to tour India over security concerns — a move that sparked controversy and threatened to overshadow the World Cup.
Following multilateral talks involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and requests from several friendly nations, Islamabad reconsidered and authorised its team to “take the field” against India on February 15. The government said the decision was taken to uphold the spirit of cricket and support continuity in the global sport.
The reversal ensures that one of cricket’s most watched rivalries will be played as planned, much to the relief of fans and broadcasters worldwide.