Pakistan Refuses to Play India in T20 World Cup; BCCI Agrees with ICC on Sportsmanship

• Pakistan government announced its team will not play against India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group stage match on February 15.
• BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla stated the BCCI fully agrees with the ICC's stance on sports ethics and will not comment further until discussions with ICC.
• The ICC has rejected 'selective or partial participation,' emphasizing that it goes against the spirit and credibility of cricket.
• ICC is awaiting formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and warned of potential long-term negative impacts on Pakistan's cricketing future.
• India, in excellent form after winning a T20 series 4-1 against New Zealand, is in Group 'A' with Namibia, Netherlands, USA, and Pakistan.

Why It Matters: Pakistan's refusal to play India in the T20 World Cup draws strong opposition from ICC and BCCI.