Sunil Gavaskar takes dig at Pakistan over India match stance in T20 World Cup 2026, hints at last-minute change
Sunil Gavaskar questioned Pakistan’s firm stand on skipping the India clash, calling it unrealistic and suggesting the decision may not hold as pressure builds ahead of the global tournament.
Pakistan (Image Credit: ICC)
Last Updated: 02.20 PM, Feb 03, 2026
The cricket fans were anticipating an India vs Pakistan clash in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 to witness the epic rivalry between the two nations. To everyone's surprise, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) played a different game alltogether.
They decided to boycott the group stage encounter with India, slated on February 15, in Sri Lanka. While Pakistan stand no grounds on boycotting an important clash, ICC released a statement demanding formal communication with the board.
But, India's former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has urged everyone to not Pakistan seriously. As per the legendary player, the Men in Green have a history of taking u-turns with their decisions and the world might see another example in the upcoming games.
“Their decision could change once the world starts reacting to their boycott. There's nothing new in this. Pakistani cricketers are known to make U-turns on retirement, saying their fans want them to continue,” he said.
“Similarly, it's possible Pakistani fans may question their government about this decision. So I don't see any problem here. Pakistani players have set the example - they return 8-10 days after retiring. Something similar could happen before February 15,” he added.
India vs Pakistan clash left on cliffhanger by PCB
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to write to the ICC regarding their decision to forfeit the clash against India in the World Cup 2026, leaving everyone shocked and confused. While ICC demanded for a formal explanation, PCB has maintained radio silence since releasing their statement on Twitter.
PCB mentioned that they would travel to Sri Lanka to play the rest of the matches but will boycott the encounter against India. While the reason wasn't mentioned in that statement, it is understood that PCB is taking for Bangladesh as they were replaced by Scotland in the marquee event. With the tournament starting in a few days, Pakistan still have a chance to change their stance.
Where to watch ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 matches?
Cricket fans in India can watch the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 matches from February 7 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.