The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on February 7 with a blockbuster triple-header, but the tournament is already embroiled in controversy after Pakistan officially confirmed it will boycott its scheduled Group A match against India on February 15 in Colombo.

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on February 1 that the national team shall not take the field against India, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the stance on February 4, calling it a considered decision made in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after their government refused to let the team travel to India for security reasons.

Bangladesh had requested that their matches be relocated to Sri Lanka, but the ICC Board voted 14-2 in favor of replacing them with Scotland rather than rescheduling. PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the ICC of double standards, further fueling Pakistan's resolve to make a political statement on cricket's biggest stage.

The consequences of the boycott are significant. Pakistan will forfeit two points in Group A, putting their progression to the knockout stages in jeopardy. They will need to win all three of their remaining group matches against the Netherlands on February 7, the United States on February 10, and Namibia on February 18, all of which will be played in Sri Lanka. The financial implications are equally severe, as an India-Pakistan encounter is traditionally the most-watched fixture in world cricket, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.

Meanwhile, defending champions India appear to be in ominous form. In their warm-up match against South Africa on February 4 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the hosts posted a commanding 240 for 5 before restricting the Proteas to 210 for 7, sealing a comfortable 30-run victory.

Ishan Kishan was the star of the Indian innings, smashing a blistering 53 off just 20 balls that included a breathtaking sequence of 6, 6, 4, 6 in the fifth over before retiring out. Tilak Varma continued his excellent recent form with 45 off 19 deliveries, while captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya chipped in with valuable contributions. With the ball, Abhishek Sharma picked up two wickets in three overs, dismissing Jason Smith and Marco Jansen.

South Africa's response was spirited in the early overs, with Aiden Markram launching four sixes in a rapid 38 off 19 balls and Ryan Rickelton adding 44 off 21 during a 65-run powerplay partnership. However, regular wickets through the middle overs saw them lose half their side by the 11th over, and the chase ultimately fell short.

India open their title defense against the United States on February 7, before facing Namibia on February 12 and then the vacant Pakistan fixture on February 15 in Colombo. They round out the group stage against the Netherlands on February 18.

As the cricketing world prepares for the tournament's opening day, all eyes will be on how the Pakistan boycott saga unfolds. The ICC has yet to announce any disciplinary action beyond the points forfeiture, but the precedent of a Full Member nation refusing to play a scheduled World Cup fixture is entirely without parallel in the sport's history. What should be a celebration of cricket's global reach has instead become a stark reminder of the complex relationship between sport and politics on the subcontinent.