What if India and Pakistan meet in the T20 WC knockouts? Salman Agha opens up

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, on Thursday, February 5, stated that the decision to boycott the India fixture in the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign was taken by their government and was not in their control. 

For the unversed, on Sunday, February 1, the Pakistan government announced that its national team will go ahead with the tournament, but they will not take the field against their arch-rivals India on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo.

"Yeah, the India game, it's not in our control. It's a government decision, and we respect that. Whatever they are going to say, we do that," Agha said in the press conference in Colombo.

Furthermore, Agha also said that they will abide by the Pakistan government’s decision if India and Pakistan clash against each other in the knockouts of the showpiece event, which is starting on Saturday, February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

"Well, I have mentioned that before. It is a government decision and we respect that. We will do what they are going to say and we will do that. Regardless - I do not know if the game is going to happen or not, but the government has said one thing and we are going to do that. I do not know about the game,” he added.

"If we have to play them again in the semifinal or final, we will have to go back to them and act on their advice," Agha noted.

Notably, Pakistan's boycott decision is a political protest against Bangladesh's removal from the tournament. The apex body ICC declined Bangladesh's request to shift their matches from India to Sri Lanka.

"Well, they are our brothers. I'll say they can support us in the tournament as well. And it's really sad to see them. They are not playing the World Cup,” he concluded.

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