Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for its alleged bias against India and said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should not go back on its decision not to play against them in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Pakistan government allowed their cricket team to participate in the World Cup but denied their cricket team a permit for Team India.
The two teams are scheduled to face each other on February 15 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The ICC revealed that it has yet to receive official confirmation the PCB’s decision to boycott and warned that such a move could have serious consequences for Pakistan’s cricket environment.
Amid a row between cricketing bodies, Kamran Akmal backed the PCB’s decision and questioned the ICC on whether it turned a blind eye when India refused to travel to Pakistan in the past.
“The PCB should not back down. The ICC told the Pakistan Cricket Board to reconsider its stance on boycotting the game in India. Did the ICC sleep when the Asia Cup was played under the hybrid model? Did the ICC sleep when India said it would not play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and would only play at a neutral venue?” Akmal said on Game Plan.
“How many times has Pakistan played India despite the heightened tension between the two countries? I walked out myself. The ICC should have thought about these things three years ago. The two countries have not played a bilateral series for years. Wasn’t that also politics?” added Akmal.
The former wicketkeeper-batsman also referred to the controversial events involving the two teams during the 2025 Asia Cup and claimed that India disrespected Pakistan during the tournament.
No IND vs PAK match would cost around USD 250 million in losses
“Shouldn’t the ICC have considered ending the policy? The PCB’s decision should be respected the same way we respected India’s decision to play in the hybrid model. Things have reached an extreme level. They refused to shake hands with our players during the Asia Cup and then refused to accept the trophy. They disrespected us,” he said.
India reportedly refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team during the Asia Cup 2025. Additionally, India captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to receive the victory trophy from PCB Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi.
The PCB chief remained adamant about handing over the trophy and eventually walked out of the stadium with it after the Indian team did not accept it. Meanwhile, it could lead to the absence of the India vs Pakistan match losses of nearly $250 million for all stakeholders. The ICC has urged the PCB to reconsider its decision and it remains to be seen how events unfold in the coming weeks, with the World Cup scheduled to begin on February 7.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
February 3, 2026
