Pakistan withdraws boycott call; India-Pak T20 World Cup match to go ahead on Feb 15

New Delhi: The India-Pakistan match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be played as scheduled after Pakistan’s government decided to withdraw its boycott call.

The game against India is set to be held in Colombo on February 15.

“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the Pakistan government said in a press release.

The decision comes after Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam urged Pakistan to take the field, citing the larger interest of the sport.

Pakistan’s government said the call was taken “with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket” and to support the continuity of the tournament across participating nations.

Newsdrum reported that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a call from Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who urged him to withdraw the boycott call.

“The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse,” the report said.

Last week, the ICC warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that both the PCB and the ICC could face legal action from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup’s official broadcasters, JioStar, if Pakistan went ahead with its boycott of the February 15 match against India in Colombo.

The uncertainty had also started to hit advertising sentiment. Multiple advertisers told BestMediaInfo.com that their interest in the World Cup had dipped, with the bigger concern being not just the loss of one marquee game but the risk of uncertainty spilling over into the entire tournament package.

Several brands had held back commitments, as the India–Pakistan fixture typically anchors negotiations on pricing and inventory across the event. Executives estimated that if the India–Pakistan group match did not take place, JioStar could face an advertising revenue loss of around Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore. 

With the India–Pakistan match back on track, stalled World Cup negotiations are expected to restart. Advertisers are also likely to return to the market and step up bookings for ad spots around the match.

BestMediaInfo.com had reported that India–Pakistan games in recent ICC cycles have seen 10-second ad slots pegged at Rs 40 lakh to Rs 60 lakh levels.

Star Sports currently has ChatGPT and Thums Up as co-presenting sponsors, co-powered by Emirates, with Mahindra, Sting and Apollo Tyres as associate sponsors.

On JioHotstar, Hyundai Motor India is the Connected TV (CTV) co-powered sponsor for the tournament coverage, while Haier Appliances India serves as the Title Partner of Match Centre Live for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.