T20 World Cup Walkover Rules: Why India Must Take the Field Despite Pakistan’s Boycott

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The 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is in a state of chaos as the Pakistan government has announced that its team will boycott the match against India on 15 February. Though the country refuses to take the field against their main rivals, they will still play against other teams in Sri Lanka. 

As a result, India will receive a walkover and two automatic points. This news follows tension over the removal of Bangladesh from the tournament. It is the first time a team has boycotted a match in this way.

How the Walkover Works for India

The Pakistan government says its team will play against the USA and the Netherlands. They will only skip the India game in Colombo. Following this decision, the ICC stated that this breaks the rules of the tournament. However, to get the points, the Indian team must still go to the stadium in Colombo. They must do their warm-ups and show up for the coin toss.

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If the Pakistan captain does not show up, the referee gives the win to India. This makes it much easier for India to reach the next round. Nevertheless, it causes a huge problem for the fans and the organizers. A match that millions of people wanted to watch will no longer happen, which will eventually change the standings for every other team in Group A.

Who Pays for the Missing T20 World Cup Revenue?

This single India vs Pakistan match is worth more than any other game in cricket. Experts say the boycott could cause a loss of $50 million in TV money. Companies pay huge amounts for 10-second ads during this game. Now, those companies will want their money back.

The TV networks might try to pay less for their multi-billion dollar contracts. This puts the ICC in a very difficult spot. To fix the budget, the ICC might take money away from Pakistan’s yearly cricket funding, which amounts to about $34 million. If Pakistan loses this money, they may struggle to pay their players or run their local leagues.

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This boycott shows that politics can influence international sports. If the ICC does not punish this move, other teams might start skipping matches as well.