Pakistan will forfeit two crucial points if it goes ahead with its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, according to International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations. The highly anticipated Group match was scheduled to be played on February 15.
On Sunday, Pakistan announced that it would participate in the ICC T20 World Cup but would not take the field against India. The decision was taken after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Following the meeting, the government confirmed that Pakistan would play the tournament but boycott the match against India. Government sources said the decision was linked to Pakistan’s support for Bangladesh, which was removed from the tournament after raising security concerns, a move Pakistan views as biased by the ICC.
Under ICC rules, a team that refuses to play a scheduled match automatically forfeits it. As a result, Pakistan will lose two points, which will be awarded to India.
ICC regulations also state that Pakistan’s net run rate will be negatively affected. Under Clause 16.10.7, the forfeiting team is considered to have played the full 20 overs and scored zero runs, causing a sharp decline in net run rate, while India’s net run rate will remain unaffected.
The ICC T20 World Cup begins on February 7. Pakistan’s group also includes Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States.
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