Full list of ICC Championship matches boycotted by teams

The much-anticipated T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan in 2026 has been put on hold as the Pakistani government asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to boycott the match. Pakistan’s decision to boycott the intense match comes as the Bangladesh cricket team withdraws from the tournament.

The tense geopolitical environment may have influenced Bangladesh’s snub. In protest against the ICC decision, only Pakistan came forward and threatened to boycott the entire tournament. After discussions with the government and Pakistan cricket officials, Pakistan recommended boycotting only the group match against Pakistan scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, a neutral venue between India and Pakistan.

Why did Pakistan decide to boycott the India vs Pakistan T20 match in the 2026 World Cup?

Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India match came as a surprise, although it was a predictable move. Several media reports earlier suggested that PCB may say “yes” to the 2026 T20 World Cup but “no” to the group stage match against India.

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This isn’t the first time a team has withdrawn from a specific tournament. In the history of the Cricket World Cup, there have been many instances of teams refusing to play due to sudden reasons.

List of ICC Championship matches boycotted by teams:

1. 2003 ODI World Cup, England team will not travel to Zimbabwe:

The England cricket team, captained by Nasser Hussain, has chosen not to travel to Zimbabwe for the World Cup in Harare due to political tensions. The Zimbabwean government’s stance has forced the England cricket team to consider their safety in the country. The team reportedly received death threats before the game.

England did not travel to Zimbabwe due to off-field pressure situations. Thereafter, Zimbabwe won the match comfortably while England were eliminated by just two runs behind.

2. New Zealand will not go to Kenya for the 2003 ODI World Cup:

In the same tournament, like England, New Zealand faced an almost similar situation. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said “we have received strong information that there are currently active terrorist groups in Nairobi who have the means and capabilities to carry out terrorist attacks” before abandoning the match against Kenya.

Although New Zealand would have made it to the next round regardless, Kenya progressed comfortably. Kenya reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in history.

3. 1996 World Cup: Australia and West Indies not traveling to Sri Lanka:

After the Colombo bank bombing that killed 91 people and injured many others, the Australia and West Indies cricket teams stayed in Mumbai and refused to travel to Sri Lanka. Both teams have no objections to the Sri Lankan cricket team; their main concern is the security of the island nation.

Sri Lanka won both games comfortably but all three teams will advance to the next round. The bomb blast occurred two weeks before the game.