Pakistan departs for T20 World Cup 2026 [Source: X.com]In an important move, the Pakistan team left for Sri Lanka on Monday as part of their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The tournament is scheduled to be held from 7 February to 8 March, with Sri Lanka being one of the co-host countries. Notably, the team departed from Lahore, and videos shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) showed players wearing their newly launched World Cup kit while boarding the bus to the airport. It is important to note that this departure comes at a time when Pakistan are also facing possible action from the International Cricket Council (ICC).Pakistan’s T20 World Cup warm-up matches and scheduleAfter reaching Sri Lanka, the Pakistan players will take a short break and rest for two days. Following this, they will play a warm-up match against Ireland on 4 February. This match will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. The same venue will also host Pakistan’s group-stage matches. Pakistan are scheduled to face the Netherlands on 7 February and the United States of America (USA) on Tuesday, 10 February. Neutral venue arrangement under ICC rulesUnder the ICC’s “Fusion Formula,” Pakistan will play all of their T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka. This system has been introduced to avoid Pakistan and India visiting each other’s countries during ICC tournaments due to ongoing political tensions. Instead, both teams compete at neutral venues. If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals and final, these knockout matches will also be played in Colombo. However, if Pakistan does not advance, the semi-finals and final will be hosted in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, respectively.Pakistan boycott group stage match against IndiaOn Sunday, the Government of Pakistan officially confirmed that the national men’s team will take part in the T20 World Cup 2026. However, it also announced that Pakistan will not play their group-stage match against India, which was scheduled for 15 February. The official X handle of the Pakistan Government announced the decision, saying, “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”ICC responds to Pakistan's decision of boycotting IND vs PAK matchSo far, the PCB has not formally informed the ICC about this decision. In response, the ICC has warned of possible consequences. It stated that selective participation goes against the spirit of a global sporting event and is not good for the game or its fans, including millions in Pakistan.Notably, political tensions between India and Pakistan have affected cricket before. Last year, during the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistan players, and India later declined to accept the trophy, adding to the ongoing controversy.
