Pakistan will boycott their Group A game against India at the 2026 T20 World Cup. A post issued by the Government of Pakistan’s official X account said the government had granted permission to the Pakistan team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament, but that “the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15 February 2026 against India”.

The statement did not specify a reason for that decision. The full post on X was as follows: “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.” It is understood the PCB is yet to write to the ICC informing them of the boycott.

The India-Pakistan fixture is by far the most lucrative – and usually most-watched – game of any ICC tournament. To capitalise on that, the ICC has ensured the two teams are always in the same group of any ICC event since 2012, even as worsening diplomatic relations between the two nations means they have not played a bilateral fixture in 14 years. There is no word yet on what will happen should the two sides meet in a knockout game but the 2026 T20 World Cup now looks set to become the first men’s ICC event since 2010 not to feature an India-Pakistan game in the group stages.

Pakistan’s participation, or the extent of it, at the 2026 T20 World Cup had been thrown into doubt by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi after Bangladesh were removed from the tournament  on January 24 following their refusal to play in India due to security concerns. Pakistan was the only country vocally supportive of Bangladesh’s request for an alternate venue, and reacted to their removal by accusing the ICC of double standards favouring India. He said the government would ultimately decide whether Pakistan were to take part in the tournament.

Englang to bowl first in 2nd T29I at Pallekelke.

Ireland have become the third team to make the cut for the 2026 women’s T20 World Cup from the qualifier in Nepal, joining Bangladesh and Netherlands in the marquee event to be played in England and Wales in June-July. One of Scotland and USA, who are playing the last game of the qualifying competition, will join them at the World Cup to complete the line-up of 12 teams.

Playing Thailand on the last day of the qualifiers, Ireland batted first and scored 121 for 8. Not a massive total, but Thailand had topped the mark only twice before in the tournament. Sunday wasn’t going to be the third time. In fact, Thailand had their worst day out with the bat in the tournament, collapsing for just 59 in 16.1 overs, giving Ireland a 62-run win.

After Gaby Lewis  won the toss and batted, the Ireland top three of Amy Hunter  (24 in 15 balls), Lewis (25 in 30), and Orla Prendergast (24 in 22) all got starts and Ireland were at a solid 71 by the end of the tenth over. But by the 12th over, all three experienced batters were gone, and Ireland had only two other batters getting into double-digits – Louise Little, who scored 14 in 18 balls from No. 7, and Jane Maguire, who got 15 not out in 12 balls from No. 9.

Legspinner Suleepon Laomi took 4 for 24 for Thailand.

The 121 proved well beyond Thailand on the day. It was a series of single-digit scores for them, broken up only by the wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai and captain Naruemol Chaiwai, who scored 15 and 22 respectively and added 26 for the third wicket. There was next to nothing before and after them.

Arlene Kwlly’s  medium pace earned her 4 for 7 from four overs, while offspinner Lara McBride took 3 for 6, finishing the game in her fourth over.

(Cricinfo)