Can Pakistan boycott just one match?
Sports Desk, New Delhi. Even before the start of T20 World Cup 2026, a new controversy has arisen. The issue is that Pakistan has refused to play the match against India on 15th February. The Pakistan government announced that they will boycott the group stage matches against India, but will participate in the entire tournament. In such a situation, let us understand whether Pakistan can boycott only one match? Let us know what the ICC rules say?
Can Pakistan boycott just one match?
If Pakistan remains firm on its decision to boycott the match against India on February 15, then the ICC rules and playing conditions will apply as follows-
Under ICC Playing Conditions, if a team refuses to take the field, the match is given a walkover to the opposing team. To score points, India will have to be physically present at the venue. If India captain Suryakumar Yadav comes for the toss and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Aga does not, then the match referee will officially award the match and 2 points to India.
Not only this, there is also a hidden sporting penalty. Under Clause 16.10.7, the defaulting team (Pakistan) will be deemed to have played the full 20 overs but scored 0 runs. This will cause a huge loss in net run rate, making it very difficult for them to qualify for the Super 8s even if they win the remaining matches.
Financial and commercial penalties
India-Pakistan match is a source of earning money not only for the tournament but for the entire cricketing ecosystem. Broadcasters (such as JioStar) may lose an estimated $25 million to $30 million in advertising revenue. The broadcaster will definitely seek compensation from ICC in this process. The ICC has the authority to pursue these legal claims and financial damages directly against the PCB.
According to the ICC Constitution (Article 2.4 D), each country's cricket board (such as PCB or BCCI) must take its own decisions. If a government orders its cricket board that you should not play against that country or should not go there, then it is considered government interference. For this, ICC can also ban that board.
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