Pakistan is relevant in cricket only because of India: Australian journalist

Pakistan’s choice to sit out its marquee men’s T20 World Cup group clash against India has drawn strong reactions from Australia, with senior cricket writers warning the move could further marginalise Pakistan on the global stage.

Veteran journalists Peter Lalor and Gideon Haigh were particularly critical, arguing that distancing itself from matches against India risks eroding Pakistan’s standing in international cricket. They noted that Pakistan’s global relevance is closely tied to its historic rivalry with India and questioned who would champion Pakistan’s cause if that rivalry is sidelined. According to them, avoiding such a high-profile fixture may leave Pakistan increasingly isolated rather than amplifying its political message.

The criticism followed Pakistan’s official announcement that its men’s team would not play India on February 15 in Colombo, despite receiving government clearance to participate in the rest of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.

The boycott was confirmed through a government statement issued on Sunday. While the authorities approved Pakistan’s overall participation in the tournament, they made it clear that the team would skip the match against India.

The decision is widely being interpreted as a political gesture linked to Bangladesh’s exclusion from the competition. Bangladesh was removed after the ICC rejected a proposal to relocate matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. In the days leading up to the announcement, the Pakistan Cricket Board had indicated it was reviewing its involvement in the tournament, saying its stance was taken in solidarity with Bangladesh.

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Following a period of speculation over whether Pakistan might withdraw entirely, the government’s statement put an end to uncertainty by confirming partial participation.

The move comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and places the PCB on a collision course with the ICC, which expects all qualified teams to fulfil their fixtures in full. Critics now fear that Pakistan’s refusal to play its biggest rival could weaken its influence within world cricket rather than strengthen its position.