T20 World Cup 2026: Former Pakistan captain voices disappointment as team set to skip India clash

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has reacted to his government’s decision to bar the national team from playing against India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, striking a careful balance between personal disappointment and political support.

Pakistan and India were slated to meet in a high-profile group match in Colombo on February 15. However, following official confirmation from Islamabad, Salman Ali Agha’s side has been instructed not to take the field, a move framed as a protest against the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Pakistan Cricket Board had already been considering withdrawing from the fixture, particularly after the ICC removed Bangladesh from the tournament.

Afridi, long known for championing the separation of sport and politics, admitted he was unhappy with the development. At the same time, he publicly backed the stance taken by his government, urging the ICC to address the controversy through fair and transparent action rather than rhetoric.

“Cricket has often succeeded where politics has failed,” Afridi wrote on X. “It’s disappointing that Pakistan won’t face India at the T20 World Cup, but I respect my government’s decision. This is a defining moment for the ICC to demonstrate through action that it is neutral, independent and just to all its members.”

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The comments have drawn attention given Afridi’s own recent history with politically charged sporting disputes. He was previously involved in controversy during the World Championship of Legends at Edgbaston, where India Legends withdrew from a match against Pakistan Legends. At the time, Afridi criticised the mixing of politics and sport and appeared to take a swipe at former India opener Shikhar Dhawan for refusing to play.

That backdrop has made Afridi’s current position appear contradictory to some observers, as he now endorses a politically driven decision affecting one of cricket’s biggest global events.