BCCI Says No ICC Directive on Pakistan Boycott of T20 World Cup India Match

Speaking to reporters after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 title, the BCCI secretary said the board is fully prepared to host World Cup matches at all five venues in India.

"We have not received any instructions from the ICC till now. We have prepared in accordance with the schedule. We have five venues in India. Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Chennai," Saikia said.

Saikia confirmed that five venues across India have been readied for the marquee tournament, with preparations completed at all locations. "We have prepared for all five venues," he added.

Saikia also said the opening ceremony and the tournament opener remain on schedule. "India and the USA will play their first match in Mumbai on February 7, and we will have our opening ceremony. All the matches of the ICC World Cup 2026 will be on our schedule."

However, Saikia clarified that decisions on the participation of Pakistan rest with the ICC and the respective national board (Pakistan Cricket Board). "Who will play and who will not play depends on the ICC and the country (Pakistan). I can't give any information about this until the ICC informs us."

Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the T20 World Cup after the Pakistan government posted on X that the Pakistan Team "shall not take the field" in the match against India without providing any reason.

Following the Pakistan Government's decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a statement saying that "selective participation" is not fair to the "fundamental premise of a global sporting event" and that it expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that protects the interests of all stakeholders.

ICC said in a release that it has noted the Government of Pakistan's statement regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

"While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule," the release said.

It said that ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.

"While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.

The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country, as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of," the release said.

It said ICC's priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which should also be the responsibility of all its members, including the PCB. "It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders," the release said.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and the country's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, last month met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to brief him on the matter of the International Cricket Council (ICC) decision after Bangladesh refused to send its team to India over purported "security concerns".

The ICC announced last month that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule.

The announcement came after the ICC, in the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India, rejected the BCB's demand to move its matches from India to Sri Lanka for the 20-team tournament, to be played from February 7 to March 8, according to a release.

Scotland is the highest-ranked T20I side that did not originally qualify for the tournament. They are currently ranked 14th, ahead of seven teams already in the tournament: Namibia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nepal, the United States of America (USA), Canada, Oman and Italy.

- ANI