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Pakistan cricket team can breathe a sigh of relief ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 after deciding to forfeit their Group A league match against arch-rivals Team India. Pakistan Government have given permission to the national team to take part in the T20 World Cup 2026 but have instructed them not to take the field for the match against Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India in Colombo on February 15. Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC chairman Ehsan Mani has made a massive statement and believes the International Cricket Council cannot impose any sanctions on Salman Ali Agha’s side. He believes that the Pakistan team will escape sanctions are they are only following orders of the Pakistan Government. “There can’t be any sanctions against Pakistan if it follows the governments instructions. That was the basis on which India refused to play its 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. You can’t have double standards. So unfortunately again I come back to the fact that instead of dealing with the problem the ICC just stood there as a bystander Mani was quoted as saying by Sportstar magazine. “You left the door open for any country to get its government involved. And especially knowing that the chairman of the PCB is a serving minister of the government” Mani added.   Former ICC Chairman Ehsan Mani thoughts on Ind-Pak saga: Following government instructions can not be grounds for sanctions. Cricket deserves consistency not selective enforcement.#PAKvIND | #Cricket | #GreenTeam | #OurGameOurPassion | #KhelKaJunoon pic.twitter.com/XTPRA3x1Bu — Green Team (@GreenTeam1992) February 3 2026 What is Pakistan’s legal standing after deciding to boycott India match? However Pakistan cricket team may have left themselves open to financial penalties if they decide to forfeit their match against Team India. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Pakistan’s refusal to play Team India are under the ‘force majeure’ clause. Force majeure usually applies to ‘unforeseeable’ and ‘unavoidable’ events like natural disasters acts of God or extreme political situations that make participation for any team impossible rather than ‘undesirable’. According to sources in ICC PCB would find it hard to justify their decision under this ‘force majeure’ clause just by claiming they are following Pakistan Government’s instructions. Pakistan government on Sunday announced that the national team will be participating in the T20 World Cup 2026 beginning on February 7 but will be boycotting their Group A match vs India. “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” the Pakistan Government posted on their social media handle. Pakistan are part of Group A with hosts and defending champions India USA Namibia and the Netherlands.