Bangladesh not happy with Pakistan’s boycott of IND vs PAK match in T20 World Cup, ‘Entire cricketing world will suffer’

Pakistan has decided to boycott the group match against India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. While it is apparently a move to back Bangladesh, it is not something that pleases the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Here’s why.

Pakistan’s move is expected to affect more than the two nations involved in that particular game. To be precise, many other stakeholders will be affected, except for India and Pakistan.

Recent results in IND vs PAK matches have reduced the competitive balance. Pakistan lost all three meetings at the latest Asia Cup. Even so, an India vs Pakistan match still carries symbolic and commercial weight beyond sport.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still silent about it. It’s the Government of Pakistan that has not cleared its national team to play the match. The Pakistan government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has not given any official explanation of its decision.

“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India,” it posted on Twitter (now X).

The BCB believes the boycott is likely to disrupt global cricket finances and planning. Bangladesh is also anxious because its board depends heavily on revenue shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

After the Pakistan government’s announcement on social media, the ICC warned that refusing to play would damage the wider cricket ecosystem. Financial consequences are seen as the most serious risk, particularly for boards like Bangladesh that rely on ICC distributions. This uncertainty continues to trouble administrators.

No BCB director agreed to comment publicly, yet internal concern remains strong.

“Pakistan wanted to send a strong message to Indian cricket. They wanted to challenge India’s dominance. From that perspective, the decision may make sense,” a senior BCB director told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity.

At the same time, the BCB official pointed out that it would result in financial losses for everyone.

“If the India–Pakistan match does not take place, the entire cricketing world will face financial losses. Even our dividend will decrease. We did not want such losses,” he said.

The publication quoted another BCB director who said the ICC was not paying proper attention to Bangladesh.

“The ICC excluded us without properly listening to our position. Some response was inevitable. Pakistan’s decision not to play India is a very significant development,” he said.

Still, the official is not in favour of the boycott. According to the publication, the remarks ‘reflected frustration’. Bangladesh have already suffered a loss since they are not part of the T20 World Cup.

Another official, directly involved in Bangladesh’s negotiation with the ICC, seemed worried.

“This will directly affect the ICC’s central revenue pool. Like everyone else, we are also stakeholders in that fund. Take Kenya or Uganda, for example. They would be satisfied with a $100,000-200,000. But, given our infrastructure, how will we survive if ICC revenues decline?”

The Bangladeshi publication notes that domestic cricket is no longer a source of ‘substantial revenue’. Even the money the board gets from sponsorships and broadcast rights ‘barely suffices to cover the annual costs of running cricket in the country’.

Bangladesh’s cricket ties with India have become openly strained, echoing India–Pakistan tensions. The BCB fears the dispute could affect future tours and tournaments, including the Asia Cup.

The ICC has already appointed a peacemaker to negotiate with Pakistan. Imran Khwaja, deputy chair of the ICC, has been given the task of convincing Pakistani authorities to play the India match.

“The door to dialogue can always be opened, let us see what happens,” said a BCB director.