The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin from February 7, with the first clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka
Rajeev Shukla (Pic: File Pic)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was right about warning Pakistan of a serious outcome for its selective pullout of the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan from the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan's decision, conveyed through an official government statement, is being seen as a political protest linked to Bangladesh's removal from the tournament after the world body declined its request to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka on security grounds.
The ICC already warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the boycott of the India clash could lead to serious punishments and also stated that the decision is not in the favour of the game in general.
"The ICC has issued a big statement on this subject. It has highlighted element of sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. BCCI will not make any comment until we speak to the ICC," Shukla told reporters.
The controversy began after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had released Mustafizur Rahman from its squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, following the minorities atrocities in Bangladesh.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin from February 7, with the first clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka.
The "Men in Blue" will also begin their campaign on the same date by playing a match against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The high-profile clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
Earlier, the ICC had pushed Bangladesh out of the marquee tournament. The board then replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C of the tournament. Scotland will lock horns against the West Indies in the tournament-opening match on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
T20 World Cup 2026: Group A teams
India and Pakistan are placed in Group A of the tournament along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America (USA).
(With PTI Inputs)
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