‘Thank you, Pakistan’: Nazrul hails Pakistan PM’s support over India match boycott

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul thanked Pakistan for standing by Bangladesh after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed his country’s decision to boycott their T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 was in protest of Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament.

Nazrul expressed his gratitude in a post on his official Facebook page, writing, “Thank you, Pakistan,” before sharing Sharif’s remarks to Pakistan’s federal cabinet.

“Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his country has decided to boycott the match against India in protest of Bangladesh being excluded from the T20 World Cup,” Nazrul wrote. Quoting Sharif, Nazrul added: “We will not play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken this decision after careful consideration. We should completely stand by Bangladesh. I think this is a very appropriate decision.”

Sharif made the comments while addressing members of his cabinet in Islamabad on Wednesday, marking the first time an official from either the Pakistan government or the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) publicly explained the reasons behind the boycott.

Earlier, the Pakistan government announced that while the team would participate in the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2026, they would not take the field in the group match against India. The post did not initially provide a reason for the decision.

The Pakistan Prime Minister’s remarks later confirmed that the boycott was a show of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were replaced in the tournament after its government refused to allow the team to travel to India, citing security concerns and requesting that their matches be held instead in Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the event.

The ICC Board subsequently voted 14-2 in favour of replacing Bangladesh with Scotland rather than rescheduling their matches in Sri Lanka, with the PCB and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) casting the two votes against the decision.

Pakistan interior minister and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi described the move as “double standards”, pointing to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

“You can’t have double standards,” Naqvi said, adding that Bangladesh had suffered an injustice and should have been allowed to play in the World Cup as a major stakeholder in global cricket.

Meanwhile, the ICC said it hoped the PCB would consider the long-term implications for cricket in Pakistan and urged the board to seek a mutually acceptable resolution that protects the interests of all stakeholders.