New Delhi

Former India cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad on Sunday alleged that Pakistan’s decision to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was driven by fear of defeat.

Azad said Pakistan was trying to “save face” by refusing to play India and added that New Delhi had missed an opportunity to take a stronger international stand against terrorism after the 2025 Pahalgam attack.

“Pakistan knows it can’t win. That’s why it is boycotting the match. When 26 people were killed in Baisaran in Pahalgam, India should have withdrawn from the World Cup. That would have sent a strong message globally against terrorism and exposed Pakistan as the biggest terrorist state,” Azad said.

BJP MP Shashank Mani also criticised Pakistan’s decision, calling it an act of cowardice. “When a player realises he cannot win, he runs away from the field. If you are participating in a championship, you must play all matches. We would have defeated them here as well,” he said.

The remarks came after the Pakistan government announced that its national team would not play the scheduled group-stage match against India on February 15. In a post on X, Islamabad said it had approved Pakistan’s participation in the tournament but instructed the team not to take the field against India, without citing any reason.

Hours later, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said “selective participation” was incompatible with the fundamental principles of a global sporting event. The ICC said it expects the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that protects the interests of all stakeholders.

“Selective participation undermines sporting integrity, competitiveness and fairness,” the ICC said, adding that the decision was not in the interest of the global game or cricket fans, including those in Pakistan.

India enter the tournament in strong form, having recently defeated New Zealand 4-1 in a five-match T20I series. Pakistan have a poor record against India in T20 World Cups, losing seven of their eight encounters.

ALSO READ: Union Budget 2026-27: Sitharaman raises capital expenditure for by 9%

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held from February 7 to March 8, with India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA. India open their campaign against the USA on February 7 and face Pakistan on February 15, as per the original schedule.