Standing against Bangladesh’s removal from the ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan, for some reason, have decided to boycott their match against India at the tournament.
ICC released a statement following this announcement, warning the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of the implications stemming from such a boycott.
While it remains to be seen if the IND vs PAK match actually ends up being called-off, former Pakistan player, Kamran Akmal, has backed this move, stating that PCB should not back down.
Kamran Akmal Sides With IND vs PAK Boycott
Speaking on the YouTube channel Game Plan, Akmal questioned why the ICC hadn’t stepped in when India asked to participate in Pakistan-based tournaments in a hybrid model.
“PCB should not back down! The ICC has told the Pakistan Cricket Board to reconsider its stance of boycotting the India game. Was ICC sleeping when the Asia Cup happened in the hybrid model?“
“Was ICC sleeping when India said it would not play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and only play on a neutral venue? How many times has Pakistan played in India, despite the heightened tensions between the two countries. I have gone myself. The ICC should have thought of these things three years back,“
India refused to travel to Pakistan oweing to security reasons during Asia Cup 2023 and Champions Trophy 2025, having played their games at neutral venues.
Kamran then stated that India had disrespected them by not shaking hands or accepting the trophy from ACC’s Pakistani chief, Mohsin Naqvi, at the Asia Cup in 2025.
“PCB’s decision should be respected just as we respected India’s decision to play in hybrid model. Things had gotten to such extreme levels. At the Asia Cup, they refused to shake hands with our players, then refused to accept the trophy. They disrespected us!“
Reports suggest that ICC could sanction Pakistan in different avenues if they go through with the boycott. So, it will be interesting to see how this predicament pans out in the coming weeks.
