Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to punish Pakistan after it decided to boycott a T20 World Cup match against India, saying such calls are misplaced given that government guidelines have historically shaped decisions taken by cricket boards.
Basit’s sharp reaction comes amid reports that ICC is considering tough sanctions against Pakistan should continue by boycotting the high-profile match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The ICC board is expected to meet later this week to discuss the Pakistan threat and determine its course of action.
Pakistan has agreed to play all its matches in Sri Lanka – including the one against India – under the hybrid model drawn up between the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, the Pakistan government announced on Sunday that the senior men’s team will not take the field against India in Colombo.
On his YouTube channel Game Plan, Basit accused India of setting precedents that Pakistan is now being criticized for following.
“This behavior was started by India. Shaking hands is not mandatory. I will not even talk about the decision of Indian players not to shake hands with Pakistani players. But Indians refused to receive the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi. They refused because the Indian government refused,” Basit said.
Questioning the outrage over Pakistan’s stance, he added: “If we are now boycotting the game because our government asked us to, are we suddenly the bad guys? If India can do it, so can Pakistan!”
WHY DID THE ICC NOT PUNISH PAST BOYCOTTS?
Basit also cited past World Cup precedents to underline his argument that the forfeiture of matches did not lead to punitive action beyond the loss of points.
“West Indies and Australia lost their World Cup matches in 1996. Apart from the teams losing two points, was there any other penalty imposed on them? England and New Zealand forfeited their World Cup matches in 2003. Did they face any other penalties? And there is talk of the Pakistan cricket team being banned. Karke itchlo!)” (Try doing that!)
He further questioned the ICC’s demand for formal communication from the PCB, suggesting that similar documentation had not been required of India in the past.
“Now the ICC has asked the PCB to try to reconsider this decision or formally communicate its intention. For the Champions Trophy, BCCI was told by a letter to the ICC that they will not be playing in Pakistan? I urge everyone in the ICC to show me the letter from the BCCI. How can the PCB ignore the decision of the Pakistan government? Only the Pakistan government can decide whether Team India will play the cricket team or not!”
According to ICC tournament rules, both teams must be present on the field at the scheduled time for the draw to avoid overtime. According to sources, India are expected to feature in Colombo with captain Suryakumar Yadav participating in the toss. If Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha does not turn up, the match referee will award two points to India, although further disciplinary action remains uncertain.
WHY THEN WANTS TO BOYCOTT INDIA?
While neither the Pakistan government nor the PCB have publicly explained the specific reason for the boycott announcement, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said this last month that Pakistan is considering withdrawing from the T20 World Cup – either in whole or in part – in solidarity with Bangladesh, who have been replaced by Scotland.
Pakistan have argued that Bangladesh’s request to relocate their matches should not have been rejected and say the ICC is showing favoritism in the decision-making process.
The ICC, meanwhile, warned the PCB of the wider implications of selective participation. In a statement, the global body said: “The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country, as this is likely to affect the global cricket ecosystem of which it is itself a member and a beneficiary.”
The ICC acknowledged the role of governments in shaping national policy, but added that a boycott was not in the best interests of the global game or fans around the world.
Former ICC chairman Ehsan Mani also weighed incriticizing what he described as inconsistency in the ICC’s approach.
“There can be no sanctions against Pakistan if they follow the government’s instructions. That was the basis on which India refused to play their Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Pakistan. You cannot have a double standard. Instead of looking into the issue, the ICC just stood there as a bystander.”
The financial stakes surrounding the match are considerable. A move in favor of India could reportedly see the host broadcaster lose up to £250m in advertising revenue. The India-Pakistan clash remains the most commercially valuable fixture in world cricket, routinely attracting the highest global audiences and driving significant sponsorship commitments during ICC tournaments.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 3, 2026
