Pakistan’s India boycott another twist in cricket’s entanglement with geopolitics

By Agency Staff

Pakistan’s decision to boycott its T20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from its fans and administrators, who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided.

The government on Sunday cleared Pakistan to take part in the tournament beginning on February 7 but barred the team from playing India in a February 15 group match in Colombo, a decision the International Cricket Council (ICC) said is not in the interests of the global game.

The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours — which have not played a full series since 2012/13 and now meet largely at neutral venues — and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue.

For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism.

“Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chair Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC. “It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.”

The ICC said it is awaiting an official communication from the PCB conveying its “position of selective participation”.

The Dubai-based body said: “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 government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India.

“Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said. “With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.”

The remarks followed co-ordinated attacks by Baloch separatist militants across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province at the weekend, which killed 17 security officials and 31 civilians. Pakistan also says 177 militants were slain.

India’s foreign ministry rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling them “baseless” and accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its internal issues.

Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “markhor edition” after the national animal — a screw-horned goat — a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography, Geo TV reported.

On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing influence over global cricket governance.

“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi. “They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.”

Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them, and questioned why Pakistan should be held to a different standard. “If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed.

The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed. “Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X. “It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial.” Reuters