Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha walks off the field after his dismissal during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan captain Salman Agha reiterated on Thursday that the decision to not play against India in the T20 World Cup comes directly from the government and the players can’t do anything about it. The future of the February 15th match between the arch-rivals at Colombo is currently in jeopardy with the Pakistan government announcing the boycott of the game in response to Bangladesh’s ouster from the T20 World Cup.
“The India game is not in our control. It’s the government’s and the PCB’s decision and we respect that. Whatever they are going to say, we will do that,” Agha said during the captain’s conference. “If we have to play them again in the semifinal or final, we will have to go back to them and act on their advice,” he added.
Earlier on Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India was an “appropriate decision, adding that it was a “considered stance” to support Bangladesh.
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif stated after a government meeting.
“We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh,” he added.
In response, Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul posted “Thank You, Pakistan” on his official Facebook page, while quoting Sharif’s statement.
A few days ago, Agha had echoed the same comments that he said on Thursday, saying playing the match against India was not in their hands.
“We are going to the World Cup. Humara decision nahi hai, hum kuch nahi kar sakte. (The decision not to play against India isn’t ours, so we cannot do anything about it.) Whatever our government, the PCB chief tells us to do, we will do that only,” Agha told reporters after the conclusion of the third T20I against Australia on Sunday.
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