Pakistan’s decision to boycott its match against India at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has set off a fresh round of reactions in the capital. For some leaders, the call reflects a reluctance to face India on the field. For others, it is another reminder of how easily cricket, a sport followed with near-religious passion on both sides, gets pulled into political disputes.
The decision comes at a time when relations in the region remain tense.
Strong political reactions from across parties
BJP MP Shashank Mani used unusually harsh language to criticise Pakistan’s decision.
“When a player realises that they cannot win, they run away from the field. They are ‘rannchhodd’, they have run away from the field. If you are participating in a championship, you should play without any discrimination. We defeated them in Operation Sindoor and other wars. We would have defeated them here too. So, they are not even playing.”
TMC MP Kirti Azad echoed the view that the boycott reflects Pakistan’s lack of confidence, but also linked it to past security concerns.
“Pakistan knows it can’t win. So it thought to save face… India had a great opportunity when 26 people were killed in Baisaran (valley in Pahalgam). India shouldn’t have played in the World Cup then… This would have sent a message internationally that we are against terrorists and that Pakistan is the biggest terrorist state.”
Shashi Tharoor warns against deepening the divide
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor offered the strongest critique of politicising sport, calling the current situation damaging and unsustainable.
“It is pretty disgraceful that sport has been politicised in this way on both sides, frankly. I don’t think that Mustafizur (Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman) should have been denied his contract to play in Kolkata. It was most unfortunate.”
He described the chain of reactions across countries as excessive and warned that the fallout is growing.
“This whole thing is spiralling out of control. I think we need to really need to come to an understanding that sports, especially a sport like cricket, which means so much to all the people, should be a means of bringing us together, at least on the playing field, rather than allowing this to go on like this.”
Tharoor said the ICC should act as a neutral forum to defuse tensions.
“I honestly think this is now a wake-up call for all concerned to contact each other on an emergency basis; the ICC could be the platform for it – just say, let’s call off this nonsense…You can’t go on like this forever.”