The Indian Team Management has finally reacted after Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) made a U-turn on their decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India. The highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2026 clash between India and Pakistan is now all set to proceed as planned on February 15 in Colombo. The Government of Pakistan had previously threatened to boycott the fixture. The change of heart came after high-level discussions between national authorities and International Cricket Council (ICC) officials, ensuring the tournament's biggest rivalry remains intact.
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Ryan Ten Doeschate on India vs Pakistan clash
Following these successful negotiations, the government has formally directed the national team to honor the fixture. As a result, the two cricketing giants will now face off on February 15, much to the relief of fans and organizers who had been bracing for a major disruption to the tournament schedule.
Meanwhile, India's assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has told media that the Men in Blue has their preparation in place. However, he also didn't forget to mention that India's focus is purely on cricket as they try to stay clear of politics.
"It’s great the game is back on. We are preparing as if the game was happening. We would want a chance to play against a quality side. We treated it as status quo until told otherwise. We assumed we were going to play. We try to stay clear of politics and focus purely on cricket. Going to Colombo will be a challenge, especially as Pakistan have been there for a couple of weeks, but we’re fully focused on bringing our best game," Doeschate said.
Earlier, Pakistan had announced a boycott of their T20 World Cup clash against India. This move was intended to support Bangladesh, who had refused to travel to India for the tournament citing security concerns, a decision that ultimately led to Bangladesh being replaced by Scotland in the competition lineup.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has now opted for a lenient approach toward the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). On February 9, the world governing body confirmed that it would not impose any financial, sporting, or administrative penalties on Bangladesh for their withdrawal. This decision aims to protect the long-term growth of cricket in the region while acknowledging the BCB's status as a valued member of the global cricket community.
ICC goes easy on Bangladesh
The resolution followed a series of high-level discussions between the ICC, the BCB, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). With the threat of sanctions removed and after direct appeals from Bangladesh and other friendly nations, the PCB was persuaded to reverse its boycott. As part of the broader understanding, the ICC also indicated that Bangladesh would be considered for hosting rights of a future global event between 2028 and 2031.
"It is agreed that no financial, sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board in relation to the current matter. It is acknowledged that BCB retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), should it choose to do so. This right exists under current ICC regulations and remains intact," the ICC said in a statement.
"As part of this understanding, an agreement has been reached that Bangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2031, subject to the usual ICC hosting processes, timelines and operational requirements," the statement added.