Islamabad (NYTODAY): Pakistan has given approval for its national cricket team to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup; however, in a strong gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh, Pakistan has decided not to play the scheduled high-profile match against India on February 15. The move has sparked serious financial concerns for Indian broadcasters, who are now bracing for substantial losses.
The India–Pakistan clash is widely regarded as one of the most lucrative and heavily watched sporting events in the world. Media and commercial reports suggest that if the match does not take place, Indian broadcasters could face losses of nearly $500 million, equivalent to around Rs 141 billion. In addition, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is also expected to lose millions of dollars due to reduced ticket sales and lower overall tournament revenue.
Estimates indicate that almost half of the total revenue generated during the T20 World Cup is linked directly to the India–Pakistan encounter. Pakistan reportedly earns around $35 million annually from its ICC revenue share, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may now face possible legal challenges from the ICC over financial losses suffered by broadcasters.
Despite the decision to boycott the match against India, Pakistan still remains eligible to qualify for the second round of the tournament. Government sources state that the boycott stems from concerns over the ICC’s alleged biased stance towards Bangladesh.
According to sources, decisions taken under ICC Chairman Jay Shah have raised questions about the organisation’s neutrality, with critics claiming that the ICC increasingly favours Indian interests. It is worth noting that the Bangladesh Cricket Board had earlier refused to send its team to India for the T20 World Cup due to security concerns. Pakistan openly supported Bangladesh’s position, but the ICC rejected Bangladesh’s objections and later excluded the team from the T20 World Cup 2026, replacing it with Scotland.
Pakistan’s decision not to play against India is being viewed as a strong protest against what it describes as the ICC’s pro-India policies and the unfair exclusion of Bangladesh from the tournament.