Pakistan will backtrack on India boycott stance in 4-5 days: Former India spinner
Ravichandran Ashwin believes Pakistan will reverse its decision not to play India in the T20 World Cup 2026. The ICC has warned PCB of serious consequences if they choose to move ahead with their stance of not playing against the arch-rivals on February 15 in Colombo.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels Pakistan will back track on their decision of not playing against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, expressing confidence that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will eventually reverse its stance. The much-anticipated clash between the two arch-rivals, is scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
The Government of Pakistan has granted the national team permission to travel to Sri Lanka to participate in the 20-team tournament but also simultaneously announced that the side would not take the field against India, sparking uncertainty over the marquee fixture.
Ashwin, however, is confident that the situation will be resolved, stating that Pakistan would otherwise face significant backlash from broadcasters and fellow ICC member nations. He also mentioned that players might also be denied NOC’s to participate in the Pakistan Super League.
“100 per cent the match will happen. I think Pakistan will backtrack over the next four to five days. I want to see the encounter as well. They can face financial losses. The broadcasters will lose a lot of money, so there has to be a compromise. All the members will face losses, and they will say in the ICC meeting that because of Pakistan, we are facing these losses. In the PSL, the players might not be given the NOCs,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also mentioned that refusing to play against a specific opponent was “not acceptable” and hoped the PCB would reconsider its position.
“Pakistan and India will be playing at a neutral venue, so the issue of the venue is not there. To say that I will not play against a particular opponent is not acceptable. I hope better sense prevails and these matches take place,” Ashwin said.
When will Pakistan start their campaign?
Ahead of the tournament, the two sides will also feature in warm-up matches on Wednesday, February 4, with India set to face South Africa and Pakistan taking on Ireland. However, Ashwin cautioned against underestimating Pakistan in the tournament, citing their recent form and their 3-0 series victory over Australia.
“I would not be surprised if they go the distance. Pakistan’s biggest enemy is itself. It’s all about their mindset. If you tell them you can’t lose against India, then that would be a big problem,” Ashwin concluded.
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a statement warning the PCB of severe consequences and urged it to consider the “long-term” implications of refusing to play the match against India. The PCB is yet to formally communicate its decision to the ICC, and as a result, the stand-off between the two parties is expected to continue in the near future
India and Pakistan have been drawn in Group A of the tournament alongside Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA. Both teams will begin their World Cup campaigns on the opening day, February 7.