T20 World Cup co-host Sri Lanka has asked Pakistan to reconsider its boycott of the match against India in Colombo on February 15.
Published February 5, 2026
Sri Lanka’s cricket board on Thursday asked Pakistan to reconsider its decision to boycott the first round of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the island, against arch-rivals India.
Pakistan decided not to play India in Colombo on February 15 to express solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after refusing to play in India.
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Pakistan and India have not played cricket between the two countries for more than a decade, and have only faced each other in global or regional tournament events.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) told the Pakistan Cricket Board that the boycott would cause an economic blow and would also hit the island’s tourism industry, which is still recovering from the 2022 economic collapse.
“Failure to participate will have far-reaching implications, including significant financial risk to the SLC and the potential loss of anticipated tourist inflows,” the board said.
It was recalled that Sri Lanka had visited Pakistan to express solidarity and revive international matches in the country while other countries refrained from participating due to security concerns.
Sri Lanka Cricket implored Pakistan to play its scheduled match against India, saying it “urges us to take into account the unusual circumstances, the enduring relationship between the two boards and the broader interests of the game of cricket”.
India will open the T20 World Cup at home against the United States on Saturday. Pakistan will play the first match of the tournament against the Netherlands, also in Colombo on Saturday.
Pakistan has boycotted a match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, but the arch-rivals could be forced to play each other if they advance to the finals.
Pakistan captain Salman Agha on Thursday said he would consult with the government if Pakistan plays India in the semi-finals or final.
