India and Pakistan are set to clash on February 15 in Colombo in T20 World Cup.
Former India cricketer and AAP MP Harbhajan Singh has slammed Pakistan for reversing their stance on boycotting their T20 World Cup 2026 game against India and stated that PCB realized late that the tournament might go on without them.
Pakistan had previously decided to boycott its group-stage World Cup match against archrivals India in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was withdrawn from the tournament after the ICC denied its plea to relocate matches outside of India, citing security concerns.
However, following additional conversations with the ICC on Monday night, the board modified its position, allowing the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match to proceed as planned. Pakistan will now face India on February 15 in Colombo.
Harbhajan did not hold back in his reaction to Pakistan's late decision to proceed with the high-voltage encounter against India. Harbhajan questioned Pakistan's previous boycott attitude and pointed to the financial stakes involved, claiming that the turnaround was always possible, implying that the tournament's realities ultimately drove Pakistan to reconsider its position.
"I think they realized it really late that the tournament can go on even without them, but not without India. They were saying a lot of things, that they support Bangladesh and won't play. Do that; that is their idea. We had said earlier that they would certainly take a U-turn and play. Financial loss is too high, and when it comes to money, they will come pleading to play," Harbhajan Singh told ANI.
Harbhajan went on to outline the likely implications that prompted the shift in opinion. Highlighting the financial concerns and potential ICC disciplinary action, the former India spinner claimed that fears of long-term setbacks, including hosting rights and future participation, played a significant influence in Pakistan's decision to proceed with the match.
"That is what has happened...Financial loss is too high, and they could even be banned in the future. ICC could have invoked charges against them, and maybe they would not have received the opportunity to host a tournament ever again. I think that is why the U-turn happened," he added.
Pakistan has done well in the T20 World Cup 2026, winning against the Netherlands and the USA, while India defeated the USA in their tournament opener.
(ANI inputs)