Sri Lanka urge Pakistan to reconsider India's boycott at T20 World Cup 2026

KARACHI: The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider the decision of boycotting the blockbuster ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 match against arch-rivals India, international media reported on Thursday.

According to a report, the SLC formally wrote a letter to the PCB, highlighting that the abandonment of the lucrative fixture between two fierce rivals, scheduled to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, will expose it to substantial financial losses.

The Sri Lankan board further urged the PCB to take the exceptional circumstances in the relationship between the two parties into account.

"Any non-participation will have wide-ranging implications, including substantial financial exposure for SLC and the potential loss of anticipated tourism inflows," the SLC stated.

"We urge you to take into account the exceptional circumstances, the enduring relationship between our two boards, and the broader interests of the game of cricket."

The development came in the aftermath of the Government of Pakistan's decision to bar its national men's cricket team from taking the field against arch-rivals India.

Earlier this week, reports emerged within Indian media that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has begun exploring back-channel options to persuade Pakistan to reconsider its stance on the T20 World Cup fixture against India.

It is understood that ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja has been assigned the responsibility of initiating informal talks with Pakistan on the matter.

Khawaja, who represents the Singapore Cricket Association, has reportedly been tasked with engaging the PCB in an effort to convince it to agree to the high-profile encounter.

Indian media further claim that he has been asked to act as a mediator and initiate dialogue with the PCB to ease tensions surrounding the fixture.

Later that day, Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif called for the eradication of politics from sports as he backed the federal government's decision to bar the national team from taking the field against arch-rivals India at the 20-team mega event, scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8.

The Premier, while addressing the federal cabinet, termed the government's decision "appropriate", and shared that it was taken after a collective and careful deliberation in response to the politicisation of the sports.

"We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India," he said.

"There should be no politics in sports," he said. "We have taken this stand after deliberating on it carefully," he said, calling it an "appropriate decision".