Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has been met with widespread backing from fans and administrators, many of whom described it as a long-overdue stance in a rivalry where sport and geopolitics have long been intertwined.
The government on Sunday cleared Pakistan to participate in the tournament, which begins Feb. 7, but barred the team from facing India in a Feb. 15 group match in Colombo.
The International Cricket Council said the move was not in the best interests of the global game.
The boycott has further entrenched a prolonged freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbors, who have not contested a full series since 2012-13 and now meet almost exclusively at neutral venues.
It also delivers a significant blow to the ICC’s showpiece event, with India-Pakistan fixtures among the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue.
For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism.
“Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicizing the ICC. “It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising the PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.”
The Indian government, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the ICC did not respond to requests for comment.
The ICC said it was still awaiting official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board conveying its position on “selective participation.”
“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement Sunday.
The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India.
“Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said. “With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.”
The remarks followed coordinated attacks by Baloch separatist militants across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people.
India’s Foreign Ministry rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling them “baseless” and accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal issues.
Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography, Geo TV reported.
On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing influence over global cricket governance.
“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi. “They should realize someone has come forward to challenge them.”
Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them, and questioned why Pakistan should be held to a different standard.
“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed.
The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.
“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X. “It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial.”
