Shahid Afridi takes a dig at ICC as India vs Pakistan boycott row deepens: India vs Pakistan has always been the best contest in any major ICC event. Over the years, it has gained a lot of viewership and has also generated revenue.
As clouds gather over the India vs Pakistan 2026 T20 World Cup match, former players and pundits are sharing their insights on the ongoing controversy in the cricket world. The Government of Pakistan has given the green signal to play the T20 World Cup to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as well as the national government have mentioned that they will not face India in their group stage game, which is scheduled on February 15 at the R Premadasa International Stadium, Colombo. They are planning to walk out of the match. However, no official statement has been issued by the PCB to the International Cricket Council (ICC) yet.
Shahid Afridi supports Pakistan government
Former players and pundits have shared their views on the ongoing differences, as former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi tweeted via
Shahid Afridi said via
Question on Shahid Afridi’s credibility
Earlier, Shahid Afridi had criticized India for being left out of the World Championship of Legends match against Pakistan Legends in July. At that time he had said that politics and cricket should not be mixed. However, the former Pakistan all-rounder is supporting his government’s political interference in one of cricket’s most prestigious events.
Taking a dig at former India batsman Shikhar Dhawan, Shahid Afridi had said in July, “Sports brings people closer, but if politics gets involved in everything, how will we move forward?… Sometimes, one bad egg spoils everything for everyone else.” If they do not participate in the game, Pakistan may be in trouble.
Will ICC ban Pakistan from world cricket?
As the ICC has already mentioned in its statement, “The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as it is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, of which it is a member and beneficiary.” They will not allow any kind of ‘selective game’ to be played.
Pakistan may face loss of points from the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, negative impact on ICC rankings, refusal of top member nations to travel to Pakistan and finally, a ban on players’ participation in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). If they stick to their statement, the worst that can happen is that they will be banned from world cricket and like Bangladesh, they will be eliminated from the T20 World Cup.
The ICC is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting in 48 hours to discuss the future of the case, and a final decision is still to be taken. The ICC had already removed Bangladesh after they refused to play in India citing security reasons. Pakistan is also probably following the same path.
Also read: Danish Kaneria stabs Pakistan in the back, calls boycott of India’s match a ‘suicidal step’
