Pakistan have decided to forfeit the T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
While the Pakistan government did not specify a reason for boycotting the marquee fixture, the ICC issued a formal statement, citing that selective participation will not be allowed and asked Pakistan to rethink its decision.
While the boycott move has become a topic of debate, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar reckons if the arch-rivals don’t face each other in the upcoming T20 World Cup, it is "no big deal" since the "actual game now never lives up to hype and drama".
Not the one to mince his words, Manjrekar further said the way both teams stand now, it feels like India are "beating minnows" every time they win over Pakistan.
India hold a dominant 7-1 record over Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cups. The global showpiece begins on February 7, with defending champions India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands, and USA.
"India-Pakistan match, if it does not happen, no big deal. Honestly, for a long time now, the actual game has never lived up to the hype and the drama we built up before the match. And the reason for that is obvious. It's that India and Pakistan are not in the same league anymore. Earlier, in the 90s and before, it was fun because Pakistan was a strong team. But not anymore. Now, when India beats Pakistan, it is almost like India is beating the minnows. Earlier, you could have felt good on beating Pakistan," Manjrekar said in a video posted on his Instagram account.
Manjrekar went on to claim that the lack of an India-Pakistan fixture "is not going to bring down the value of the tournament" for him.
"That's how Pakistan cricket has deteriorated. I saw that in the Asia Cup as well. You just have to compare the young players that come through the Indian cricket system versus the Pakistan cricket system. It's the difference between the earth and the sky," Manjrekar added.
"If India-Pakistan does not happen in this world event, it is not a big deal because you still have Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa. Those are the matches to watch, and those are the teams that India needs to beat for us to feel proud about this Indian team. I think it is a non-event and is not going to bring down the value of the tournament," he further remarked.
Pakistan made the decision to boycott India match days after the ICC rejected Bangladesh’s plea to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka. BCB had cited ‘security concerns” for their players in India following heightened tensions between the two countries and the release of Mustafizur Rahman by IPL franchise KKR on BCCI’s instructions.
However, the apex body turned down the request, saying no such verifiable threat existed while also highlighting the logistical difficulty of altering the tournament schedule so close to the event. Bangladesh maintained their stance and were later replaced by Scotland in the 20-team tournament.
Pakistan are slated to play all their T20 World Cup fixtures in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model agreement with the BCCI and ICC till 2027.
If the Men in Green fail to take the field against India on February 15, the match will be ruled a forfeit under ICC rules, resulting in an automatic loss of two points and a hit to their net run rate. Moreover, severe sanctions are likely to be imposed on PCB that could isolate Pakistan cricket.
