Pakistan’s India boycott splits fans as politics overshadows cricket

Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the ‍move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided.

The government on Sunday cleared Pakistan to take part in the tournament beginning February 7 but barred ‌the team from playing India in ‍a February 15 ‌group match in Colombo, a decision the International Cricket Council (ICC) said was not ⁠in the interests of the global ​game.

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The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours — who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues — and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers ​of global viewership and revenue.

‘Enough is Enough’

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 (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC. “It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance ‌with Bangladesh.”

The Indian government, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the ⁠ICC did not respond to requests for comment.

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 across Balochistan over the weekend.

India’s foreign ministry rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling them “baseless” and accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal issues.

Read More: ICC criticises Pakistan’s selective World Cup participation

Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor ⁠Edition”, after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography, a private media outlet reported.

‘Let the cricket be a game’

On the streets of 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 realise 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.”