Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday said it fully agrees with the International Cricket Council’s stance on sportsmanship following Pakistan’s decision to boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India, scheduled for February 15. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the Indian board would refrain from making further comments until it holds formal discussions with the ICC.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“ICC has issued a big statement, they have spoken about sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. BCCI won’t make any comments on it until we speak with the ICC,” Shukla said, underlining India’s alignment with the global governing body’s position on the issue.
Shukla’s remarks came a day after the Pakistan government announced that while it had cleared the national team’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, it would not allow the side to take the field against India. In a post on X, the Government of Pakistan said the team “shall not take the field” for the February 15 fixture, without offering any specific reason for the decision. Pakistan will, however, play the rest of the tournament, which begins on February 7.The ICC responded firmly to the development, stating that “selective participation” runs counter to the fundamental premise of a global sporting event. In its release, the ICC said it had noted the Pakistan government’s statement and was awaiting official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), but stressed that all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms as per the published schedule.The global body added that ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and warned that selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of such competitions. While respecting the role of governments in national policy, the ICC said the decision was not in the interest of the global game or fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan, and urged the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that protects all stakeholders.India, meanwhile, head into the tournament in strong form after winning a five-match T20I series against New Zealand 4-1. The defending champions are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA, and will open their campaign on February 7.
