Exclusive - "PCB Will Suffer The Heaviest": Rashid Latif's Big Take On Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 Boycott Call

Cricket fans around the world were left stunned on Sunday after the Pakistan government announced that its national team would boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India. The arch-rivals were scheduled to meet on February 15 in Colombo, a neutral venue chosen for the high-profile clash. However, following Bangladesh's exit from the tournament, the Pakistan government has instructed Salman Ali Agha's side not to take the field. This decision has now created a stir in the cricket world.  In an exclusive interview with NDTV, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif gave an analysis on the financial losses that all the parties are going to suffer, if the match gets cancelled.

Here are the excerpts of the exclusive interaction.

NDTV: Being a former Pakistan captain, what according to you is the importance of an India vs Pakistan match?

Latif: Pakistan and India's rivalry is iconic. Over the years, the two teams have produced many thrilling games, building a massive fanbase. Even beyond senior cricket, the excitement was evident during the U19 World Cup match between India and Pakistan on Sunday. While it's true that both teams share a cut-throat rivalry, it breaks my heart that this rivalry is now being hampered. Due to political interference and several off-field issues, cricket is suffering in a big way. India-Pakistan matches are usually scheduled on Sundays to attract a larger audience, but now, the excitement is slowly fading because of these circumstances.

NDTV: Despite their matches being scheduled at a neutral venue, Pakistan are still boycotting the India game. Don't you think it is unfair on ICC and even on players of Pakistan?

Latif: I would say the issue largely comes down to timing. In 2023, Pakistan visited India, but before that, India declined to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. As a result, the matches had to be held at a neutral venue-a decision taken by the Government, not the PCB. Now again, the Pakistan government has decided not to play even at a neutral venue. By doing this, they have not targeted the BCCI but the ICC. I don't know the internal politics involved but when political factors come into play, no one, not even the ICC can do much.

NDTV: A huge financial loss is on the cards for multiple parties. Be it PCB, BCCI, ICC, and the even the broadcasters. Do you see Pakistan making a U-turn on their decision, keeping all these factors in mind?

Latif: It's obvious that there will be financial losses. PCB will suffer the heaviest loss but it is not much because they get an annual earning of USD 34.51 million, which is around 5.75% of total ICC revenue. However, ICC will be suffering a huge loss if Pakistan are out of the picture. A broadcaster only looks at the sponsors and if they are not there, then the both broadcasters and the ICC are going to face big losses. I feel that ICC and PCB will come to the negotiation table soon to find a common solution to this problem.

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team India Cricket Team Suryakumar Yadav Agha Salman Rashid Latif T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket