Pakistan 'U-Turn' On The Cards in T20 World Cup Row? Ex-India Star's Stunning 'Bangladesh Polls' Claim
Chetan Sharma made a bold prediction that Pakistan will make a U-turn on their decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India on February 15.
- Chetan Sharma said that Pakistan will make a U-turn on their boycott of the T20 World Cup match against India
- The ex-India star said that Pakistan's decision will change once the Bangladesh elections are over
- "Bangladesh has elections on the 12th. After that, you'll see a U-turn," he said
Former BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma made a bold prediction that Pakistan will make a U-turn on their decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India on February 15. Chetan went on to say that Pakistan's decision is completely politically driven and once the Bangladesh election is over, he believes that Pakistan will reverse their stance. His comments came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Wednesday that they will not play the game against India and even showed solidarity with Bangladesh who were removed from the tournament following their refusal to travel to India for their group stage matches. While conversations between the ICC and Pakistan are currently underway, Chetan went one step ahead and even predicted what Pakistan's 'U-turn' statement will sound like. (IND vs ENG, U19 World Cup Final Live)
“What was Bangladesh players' fault? None. This is politics. Bangladesh has elections on the 12th. After that, you'll see a U-turn. There will be a statement saying, ‘Considering public sentiment, cricket shouldn't suffer, Pakistan will play against India.' This stance is still about the Bangladesh election only. I've been a politician; I've contested elections. After the elections, maybe even the military chief will say sport should be kept free of politics and the match should go ahead,” he told India Today.
The ICC confirmed that it has not received any official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the 'boycott' stance. Chetan explained that 'statements' mean nothing unless they are official communicated to the ICC and added that it is the cricketers who are the ones suffering because of this controversy.
“As of now, Pakistan hasn't formally communicated anything to the ICC. Statements mean nothing without official confirmation. Anyone can announce retirement—but unless you submit it officially, nothing changes. Who is actually suffering here? Cricket—and the cricketers,” he added.
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