NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has reacted sharply to the Pakistan government’s decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India. He called the move a principled one and blamed politics for harming cricket.
Sharing his views on X, Yousuf wrote: “Pakistan vs India is one of the greatest sporting events in the world, but it continues to suffer from political interference that undermines the spirit and pride of the game. In such an unfair environment, the decision not to play becomes an act of principle—a tit-for-tat response to protect the integrity of the sport.”The controversy began after the Pakistan government announced on Sunday that the national team would not play India in a group match in Colombo on February 15. The official reason for this decision has not been given. Earlier, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi warned of drastic action after Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the tournament lineup.The International Cricket Council responded quickly. The ICC expressed concern about the long-term impact of the decision on Pakistani cricket. The ICC said in a statement: “The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its country as it is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem of which it is itself a member and beneficiary.”Another ICC statement added that selective participation is contrary to the spirit of global events. It says: “This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams must compete on a level playing field according to the competition schedule.”Sources suggest that the ICC may take strict action if Pakistan sticks to its position. This may include suspension from the World Cup or future ICC events. The Government of Pakistan also confirmed the decision in an official statement, saying: “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan gives permission to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team will not take the field in the match scheduled for 15 February 2026 against India.”If the match is lost, Pakistan will lose two points and suffer a net loss in scoring.