Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan over its decision to boycott a group stage match against India at the 2026 FIFA World Cup T20, calling the move nothing more than political theater disguised as solidarity with Bangladesh. Harbhajan questioned both the intent and the timing of the decision and dared the Pakistan Cricket Board to stick to its stance instead of the famous last minute backtracking.
Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel Pakistan’s announcement lacked logic and was designed to create noise rather than take a principled stand. He argued that if the PCB truly believed in the cause it was projecting, it should be ready to face the consequences, rather than leaving room for a convenient turn in the opposite direction.
“Begani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana,” said Harbhajan. “The Pakistan government said that their team will participate in the T20 World Cup but not play against India. There is absolutely no logic to this. This is the same Pakistan government and the same PCB that after some time will say that the dispute was actually Bangladesh’s, the ICC imposed a ban and we were ready to play and resolve the issue. This is nothing but a complete drama created to mislead.”
asked the former off-spinner what Pakistan could have gained by missing a single match while playing the rest of the tournament.
“What good will it do you? It’s just a show of arrogance,” he said. “If you really think you can do such a thing, then be adamant. Let’s see if you really have the guts. There is no problem standing in Bangladesh, but what about the people in your country who want the India-Pakistan match to take place?” he said.
“This match was supposed to be played at a neutral venue and there was no dispute with you. When there was a recent war, you were still playing the Asian Cup. There was drama about the trophy, but the matches were played because you did not want to give up this revenue,” he said, asking where this sudden display of patriotism was before, he added.
What is Pakistan’s boycott of India all about?
The drama of the boycott erupted after Pakistan announced that it would participate in the T20 World Cup but skip the India match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The move followed earlier remarks by PCB Chairman and Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who indicated a withdrawal in solidarity with Bangladesh following their exit from the tournament.
Despite the announcement, Pakistan has already traveled to Sri Lanka to play the rest of their matches under a hybrid arrangement agreed with the ICC and BCCI. Harbhajan believes this only strengthens his point. For him, it’s less about principle and more about posturing, and he called on Pakistan to prove otherwise by standing firm when the pressure inevitably mounts.
Meanwhile, amid Pakistan’s boycott, the Indian team is expected to travel to Sri Lanka as scheduled, with captain Suryakumar Yadav set to leave for the draw for the marquee match. If Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha does not turn up for the toss, the match referee will award India a transition, resulting in two points being awarded to the Indian side.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 3, 2026