T20 World Cup: Uncertainty over India match, but Pak prepare as usual in Colombo
T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza said the team is fully focused on their upcoming match against the USA on Tuesday. When asked about the scheduled India–Pakistan clash on February 15, Mirza reiterated that Pakistan's participation remains subject to government approval.
There is uncertainty over whether the much-awaited February 15 match between India and Pakistan will go ahead as scheduled, but Pakistan's players are not easing off when it comes to their preparations in Colombo. Speaking to the media on the eve of their Group A fixture against the USA, fast bowler Salman Mirza said the team had been preparing as usual, with the broader picture in mind.
Mirza reiterated the Pakistan Cricket Board's stance that participation in the high-profile clash remains subject to government approval.
"We are preparing for the entire World Cup. We will play according to the team we have to face. It will be the decision of the government, and we will do whatever we are told," said the fast bowler, who replaced Naseem Shah in the XI for Pakistan's opening-day win against the Netherlands.
Salman added that the team's immediate focus is firmly on their upcoming match against the USA - a first-ever day-night fixture at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
"We are focused on the next match and are taking it one game at a time, whichever is coming up. As for the match on the 15th, that is the decision of the government. Whatever they decide, we will play accordingly," he said.
Salman's remarks come even as PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reached out to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the boycott stance, following a marathon meeting with International Cricket Council officials on Sunday in Lahore.
Pakistan began their T20 World Cup campaign with a nervy win over the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday. Playing in place of Naseem, Salman claimed three wickets in the match.
WILL INDIA AND PAKISTAN PLAY ON FEB 15?
While the Pakistan government had initially announced the boycott – a position reiterated by Prime Minister Sharif during his address to Parliament last week - the PCB and the ICC have since been engaged in discussions aimed at finding an amicable solution that would be beneficial to the sport and its stakeholders.
Sources told India Today on Monday that Pakistan put forward as many as five demands during its meeting with the ICC on Sunday. Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also travelled to Lahore to take part in the discussions, after Bangladesh received backing from the PCB following their removal from the T20 World Cup.
The ICC, however, rejected three of the demands.
Pakistan insisted that Bangladesh should not be penalised for pulling out of the T20 World Cup and must receive its full share of ICC revenue - a position the ICC had already decided on independently. It also urged the ICC to award Bangladesh a compensatory global event after last year's Women's T20 World Cup was shifted from the country to Dubai due to civil unrest, with an Under-19 World Cup in the next cycle suggested as a possible alternative.
Pakistan further demanded that the ICC encourage India to resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan, a request that was rejected, with the governing body reiterating that bilateral series fall outside its jurisdiction, even within the framework of the World Test Championship. Proposals for an India-Pakistan-Bangladesh tri-series and for India to tour Bangladesh later this year, for a series postponed in 2025, were also turned down on similar grounds, with the ICC maintaining that it does not have the authority to mandate bilateral or trilateral series.
The treatment of Bangladesh, which Pakistan believes was unfair, has been a central issue in the PCB's discussions with the ICC over the past few days. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after they refused to travel to India for their group-stage matches, citing security concerns. The ICC rejected those concerns and voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh, with Pakistan the only member nation to publicly support
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There is uncertainty over whether the much-awaited February 15 match between India and Pakistan will go ahead as scheduled, but Pakistan's players are not easing off when it comes to their preparations in Colombo. Speaking to the media on the eve of their Group A fixture against the USA, fast bowler Salman Mirza said the team had been preparing as usual, with the broader picture in mind.
Mirza reiterated the Pakistan Cricket Board's stance that participation in the high-profile clash remains subject to government approval.
"We are preparing for the entire World Cup. We will play according to the team we have to face. It will be the decision of the government, and we will do whatever we are told," said the fast bowler, who replaced Naseem Shah in the XI for Pakistan's opening-day win against the Netherlands.
Salman added that the team's immediate focus is firmly on their upcoming match against the USA - a first-ever day-night fixture at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
"We are focused on the next match and are taking it one game at a time, whichever is coming up. As for the match on the 15th, that is the decision of the government. Whatever they decide, we will play accordingly," he said.
Salman's remarks come even as PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reached out to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the boycott stance, following a marathon meeting with International Cricket Council officials on Sunday in Lahore.
Pakistan began their T20 World Cup campaign with a nervy win over the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday. Playing in place of Naseem, Salman claimed three wickets in the match.
WILL INDIA AND PAKISTAN PLAY ON FEB 15?
While the Pakistan government had initially announced the boycott – a position reiterated by Prime Minister Sharif during his address to Parliament last week - the PCB and the ICC have since been engaged in discussions aimed at finding an amicable solution that would be beneficial to the sport and its stakeholders.
Sources told India Today on Monday that Pakistan put forward as many as five demands during its meeting with the ICC on Sunday. Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also travelled to Lahore to take part in the discussions, after Bangladesh received backing from the PCB following their removal from the T20 World Cup.
The ICC, however, rejected three of the demands.
Pakistan insisted that Bangladesh should not be penalised for pulling out of the T20 World Cup and must receive its full share of ICC revenue - a position the ICC had already decided on independently. It also urged the ICC to award Bangladesh a compensatory global event after last year's Women's T20 World Cup was shifted from the country to Dubai due to civil unrest, with an Under-19 World Cup in the next cycle suggested as a possible alternative.
Pakistan further demanded that the ICC encourage India to resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan, a request that was rejected, with the governing body reiterating that bilateral series fall outside its jurisdiction, even within the framework of the World Test Championship. Proposals for an India-Pakistan-Bangladesh tri-series and for India to tour Bangladesh later this year, for a series postponed in 2025, were also turned down on similar grounds, with the ICC maintaining that it does not have the authority to mandate bilateral or trilateral series.
The treatment of Bangladesh, which Pakistan believes was unfair, has been a central issue in the PCB's discussions with the ICC over the past few days. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after they refused to travel to India for their group-stage matches, citing security concerns. The ICC rejected those concerns and voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh, with Pakistan the only member nation to publicly support
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score