India, Feb. 2 -- Pakistan's boycott of the India match at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has moved from rumour to an official political line - and the next fortnight will be about what the Pakistan Cricket Board does with a directive it didn't write but must carry.

Pakistan's government has cleared the team to play the tournament, but ordered it to skip the February 15 group game against India in Colombo, with Pakistan scheduled to play its tournament matches in Sri Lanka as a neutral-venue arrangement. The ICC has responded sharply, warning that selective participation damages cricket and urging a solution that works for all stakeholders.

From here, the road splits into three plausible scenarios - each with its own sporting cost and ...