"Pakistan Will Come Pleading": Harbhajan Singh's 'Money' Angle As T20 World Cup Boycott Drama Falls Flat

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh took a dig at Pakistan's decision to play India in the T20 World Cup, suggesting the move was driven by financial interests. He said Pakistan realised the tournament's importance and the potential losses they would face by withdrawing. Singh felt Pakistan initially supported Bangladesh's stance but ultimately backed down due to significant financial implications, including possible ICC sanctions and the risk of losing hosting rights. Pakistan had earlier announced a boycott of the much-anticipated match against India. However, on Monday, the Government of Pakistan reversed its decision and directed the national cricket team to take the field on February 15 for their scheduled fixture in Colombo.

"I think they realised very late that the tournament can go on even without them, but not without India. They were saying a lot of things-that they support Bangladesh and won't play. Fine, that is their idea. We had said earlier that they would certainly take a U-turn and play. The financial loss is too high, and when it comes to money, they will come pleading to play. That is what has happened. The financial loss is too high, and they could even be banned in the future. ICC could have invoked charges against them, and maybe they would not have received the opportunity to host a tournament ever again. I think that is why the U-turn happened," Harbhajan Singh told ANI.

Sourav Ganguly Reacts On Boycott U-Turn

Former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly also spoke about Pakistan's reversal, stating that "sports and politics are different" and that it is "good" Pakistan decided to play the February 15 T20 World Cup match against India after reconsidering its boycott.

Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Ganguly noted that India-Pakistan matches have always been exciting, though the competition has not been close in recent years.

"I am not aware of the talks at the government level, but it is good that they are playing. Sports and politics are different. It will be a good match. India and Pakistan matches have always been good; there has not been much competition in the last few years. I hope Pakistan plays well because India is a superb team, and it is not going to be easy for them to defeat India," he said.

Former cricketer Atul Wassan called Pakistan's U-turn on its boycott "a drama," criticising its frequently shifting stance. He added that such "shenanigans" are demoralising for Pakistan's own players.

Speaking to ANI, Wassan criticised Pakistan's inconsistency in agreeing to play India in the T20 World Cup, saying they "sometimes refuse, get upset, and sometimes agree" only for their own satisfaction.

"It's a drama going on. Sometimes they (Pakistan) refuse, get upset, and sometimes they agree, all for their own satisfaction. Now the Bangladesh board has requested, and Sri Lanka has, so they're agreeing. 'We've shown the ICC how much hegemony India has'-all these misconceptions are in their minds. There's no cure for this. I don't understand how they were harming India by not playing against India. If you are upset with the ICC, then don't play the World Cup, but they didn't do that. Instead, they made the India match an issue," Atul Wassan said.

Former Indian cricketer and 1983 ODI World Cup winner Madan Lal said it was positive that Pakistan would play their match against India, or "else the charm of the tournament would have died."

"It is good that they are playing, else the charm of the tournament would have died, and they would have also suffered financial loss. We've heard that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had put pressure on them. The India-Pakistan match is always exciting. Both teams are very good. There could be more pressure on the Pakistan team as they haven't won many matches against India lately. The game of cricket should not weaken," Madan Lal said.

The Pakistan government's decision came after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, according to an official statement, briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the outcomes of high-level talks between the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Pakistan had previously decided to boycott their group-stage World Cup match against arch-rivals India in support of Bangladesh, which was expelled from the tournament after the ICC rejected its request to shift match venues outside India due to "security concerns."

Pakistan's Prime Minister also spoke with Sri Lanka's President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to discuss the country's support during "challenging times." Following discussions with the ICC and other countries, the Pakistan government directed its cricket team to play the T20 World Cup match against India.

"This evening, the Prime Minister held a telephone call with H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The President of Sri Lanka, during their warm and friendly conversation, recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to resolving the current impasse amicably. In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," an official statement from the Government of Pakistan stated.

"Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday was formally briefed by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)," the statement added.

After the ICC held a meeting with the PCB and the BCB at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday to discuss Pakistan's decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match with India in Colombo, BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul on Monday also urged Pakistan to play their February 15 ICC Men's T20 World Cup clash against India.

Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the 2026 T20 World Cup, after their request to have all their matches played outside India was rejected by the ICC. Bangladesh had made the request following the removal of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid concerns related to atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team India Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Board BCCI International Cricket Council T20 World Cup 2026 Harbhajan Singh Cricket