PCB sources confirmed receipt of the letter, but stressed that the boycott was due to the **Federal Government directive** issued on February 1, allowing teams to participate in the tournament, but prohibited from playing against India—this was done in solidarity with Bangladesh after its exclusion (Scotland was included in place of Bangladesh because it had refused to play in India). “Yes, we have received the letter, but we cannot change the government’s decision. This decision is entirely the government’s,” PCB insiders told Hindustan Times and Republic World on February 6.
The stance suggests that the marquee match—historically the most watched worldwide—could be canceled for political reasons for the first time in ICC history, with India-Pakistan cricket tensions rising following the Pahalgam attacks in 2025, canceled bilateral matches, incidents of no handshake at the Asia Cup and a trophy-avoidance incident involving PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
**Impact on economic and tournament**
– SLC fears huge revenue loss due to this sold-out match not happening.
– Pakistan risks ICC fines (loss of points, NRR deduction) and potential loss of revenue share (~USD 144M in some analyses).
– Back-channel talks are ongoing between ICC-PCB for a solution, but the tournament is scheduled to start on February 7 (India’s first match is against USA in Mumbai), so any changes are unlikely to happen immediately.
**Headlines**
– PCB has accepted SLC’s appeal but accepted the government’s decision; According to sources, there will be no talks on boycott.
– Match: India vs Pakistan, February 15, Colombo—under threat due to political solidarity with Bangladesh. – The tension is linked to the events of 2025; Despite diplomatic pressure, no U-turn is expected any time soon.
As the World Cup begins, all eyes are on possible last-minute changes or ICC intervention to save the match.
