The government of Pakistan announced that the country Will boycott match against india Twenty20 World Cup, even while playing the rest of the cricket tournament.

Pakistan has not yet given a clear reason for withdrawing from the match against India scheduled for February 15.

However, Pakistan’s interior minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi blamed India for Saturday’s attack in Balochistan province that killed at least 31 civilians, 17 security personnel and 145 militants, according to authorities.

Pakistan’s decision on Sunday to boycott a match against India comes amid tensions between the neighbors over a series of incidents that led to Bangladesh being banned from the World Cup.

What happened in Balochistan?

Earlier on Saturday, armed men launched coordinated attacks on police stations in the provincial capital Quetta and other parts of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, officials said.

It was the worst attack in Balochistan in decades, killing nearly 200 people, mostly militants. Pakistan has been battling a separatist movement for decades in Balochistan, a mineral-rich province that borders Afghanistan and Iran and where militants have targeted the country’s military, foreigners and people from other parts of the country.

outlaw Balochistan Liberation Army The BLA claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack, AFP reported.

The group said shootings and suicide bombings targeted military installations, police and civilian officials in nine districts of Balochistan. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populous and poorest province.

On the day of the attack, Naqvi accused India of being behind the attack in Balochistan in an interview with local media along with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti.

“These are not ordinary terrorists. India is behind these attacks. I can tell you for sure that India planned these attacks along with these terrorists,” Naqvi said without providing any evidence.

But aren’t tensions already rising during the World Cup?

Yes. On January 24, the International Cricket Council (ICC) kicked Bangladesh out of the tournament and replaced it with Scotland after Dhaka refused to participate in India’s World Cup co-host with Sri Lanka.

Amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Cricket Board requested that its tournament be moved from India to Sri Lanka, but its request was rejected by the International Cricket Council.

Bangladesh cited security concerns, but the ICC said there was “no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India”.

The month-long tournament begins on Saturday and will be the first time Bangladesh will miss the Men’s T20 World Cup.

Naqvi criticized the ICC for “double standards” when Bangladesh were not allowed to play in Sri Lanka. The ICC has in the past allowed India to avoid playing matches in Pakistan when the country hosted them and instead host those matches in a third country. Under an agreement involving India and Pakistan, the ICC now allows Pakistan to do the same. When India hosts a series like the World Cup, Pakistan can play in a third country, such as Sri Lanka.

“You cannot have double standards. You cannot say that one country (India) can do whatever it wants and other countries have to do exactly the opposite,” Naqvi said. “That is why we have taken this stand and made it clear that Bangladesh is not fair to them. They deserve to play in the World Cup. They are the main stakeholders in cricket.”

Pakistan will play all its matches in Sri Lanka instead of India due to rising tensions between the South Asian neighbors.

A fierce air war broke out between India and Pakistan in May after an attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April, which India blamed on Pakistan. They use drones and missiles to target each other’s military bases. A ceasefire agreement was finally reached on May 10.

Suspicion of India has been rising in Bangladesh since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted amid massive anti-government protests in the summer of 2024 and fled to India.

On January 3, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disqualified the fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman From the Indian Premier League, Bangladesh is the only cricketer to participate in the tournament.

The BCCI did not give a reason behind the decision, citing only “developments at various locations”.

How will this affect the World Cup?

The match between India and Pakistan is expected to be the most watched match of the entire tournament. Losing it could result in tens of millions fewer viewers in that time slot.

The match between India and Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup reached a record 167 million viewers, making it the most-watched T20 international match in history, according to Star India, the tournament’s official broadcaster.

Due to high ratings, the India-Pakistan match is the most valuable advertising window of the World Cup. If matches are cancelled, broadcasters lose revenue.

Likewise, Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, which was scheduled to host the match, also lost a major revenue opportunity from match-day ticket sales.

What does this mean for Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup?

Pakistan will drop two points in the group stage due to the boycott, while India will gain two points without playing.

With every win in this World Cup worth two points, Pakistan now have less room for error and must win more of their remaining matches to ensure their chances of qualifying.

What to do next?

Pakistan and India have not played any bilateral cricket matches since 2012 and have only faced off in multi-nation events.

Under a deal signed last year, India and Pakistan agreed not to travel to the other’s country but to play matches at neutral venues if one side hosts an ICC event.

Pakistan’s boycott of matches against India at neutral venues could set a new precedent for India to take similar action in future events.