PM Shehbaz Sharif "Knows Pakistan Can't Beat India": 1983 World Cup Winner Explains How Rivals 'Are Saving Face' By Boycotting India

Former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad has said that Pakistan refused to play against India in their group-stage fixture at the T20 World Cup 2026 because they know they cannot win the match. On Wednesday, calling Pakistan's boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India an "appropriate decision," the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that it was a "considered stance" to support Bangladesh. "We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won't play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field," Sharif said after a government meeting.

In response, Azad - a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team-said that Pakistan was saving face by boycotting India at the T20 World Cup 2026.

"Shehbaz Sharif knows, the whole of Pakistan knows it can't win against India. So it thought to save face. They are ICC members; it will get cancelled. India should not have played Pakistan at the 2025 Asia Cup either," Kirti Azad told ANI.

Azad's comments come after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15. The Pakistan government said in a post on X that the Pakistan team "shall not take the field" in the match against India.

In an X post on Sunday, the Government of Pakistan stated: "The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India."

The Pakistan government did not give any reason for its decision not to play against India. The Indian team is in terrific form ahead of the World Cup and recently won the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 4-1.

Hours after Pakistan decided to boycott its T20 World Cup group-stage clash against India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said that "selective participation" is not compatible with the "fundamental premise of a global sporting event" and that it expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution that protects the interests of all stakeholders.

The ICC said in a release that it has noted the Pakistan Government's statement regarding its decision to instruct the national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. "While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms as per the event schedule," the release said

Topics mentioned in this article

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