Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has finally explained why Pakistan is refusing to play against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. In a bold statement, he confirmed that Pakistan is boycotting the big match to support Bangladesh.
For a week, many were unsure why Pakistan chose to skip the February 15 game. PM Sharif told his cabinet on Wednesday that the decision is about fairness. He believes that Bangladesh was treated unfairly when they were removed from the tournament.
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“We have taken a very clear stand,” Sharif said. “We won’t play against India because there should be no politics in sports. We must stand by Bangladesh.”
The trouble started when the Bangladesh government said their team could not travel to India due to safety concerns. They asked to play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka instead. However, the ICC (the group that runs cricket) voted to replace Bangladesh with Scotland rather than changing the location.
Pakistan’s cricket chief, Mohsin Naqvi, says this is a “double standard.” He pointed out that India previously refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, yet India was not punished. He argues that if India can choose where they play, other countries should have that right too.
The ICC is not happy with Pakistan’s decision. They warned that boycotting a World Cup match could hurt the future of cricket in Pakistan and across the world. They are hoping the two sides can find a solution before the tournament begins.
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As of now, the Pakistan government is firm: they will play in the rest of the World Cup, but they will not take the field against India. This decision shows that the bond between Pakistan and Bangladesh is currently stronger than the desire to play the world’s biggest cricket rivalry.