Pakistan will boycott their scheduled T20 World Cup match against India on February 15th in Colombo. This decision follows Bangladesh's withdrawal from the tournament due to political tensions and security concerns, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board to consider a complete boycott. The team will still participate in other group matches.

Pakistan's government approved the team's participation in the tournament, but not against India. The ICC ensures these two rivals are in the same group, given the financial stakes. Pakistan will forfeit the match, incurring a net run-rate penalty, while India remains unaffected. The other group matches will be against Netherlands, USA, and Namibia.

This boycott stems from long-standing political issues between the two nations, preventing them from playing outside of major tournaments since 2013. India has not played in Pakistan since 2008. All of Pakistan's matches will be played in Sri Lanka, including potential semi-finals and the final.

The T20 World Cup is live on Sky Sports from February 7 to March 8. The absence of this high-profile fixture will undoubtedly disappoint fans globally. Scotland replaced Bangladesh in Group C. The ICC will likely face further scrutiny regarding the scheduling and political implications.