Legendary former India captain Kapil Dev has expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s decision to boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India, warning that the move could seriously damage the country’s cricketing future.
Pakistan announced on Sunday that while it will participate in the tournament, it will not play the high-profile clash against India scheduled for February 15. The decision came after Bangladesh was excluded from the T20 World Cup following the International Cricket Council’s rejection of its request to shift matches out of India citing security concerns.
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Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Kapil said the boycott could hurt Pakistan’s global image and unfairly impact its current generation of cricketers, particularly if the decision was imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“If the decision was taken by the players, they can come out and say it. But if the board decides that you will not play, then the reputation of the country goes down,” Kapil said.
He added that keeping players away from the World Cup would be deeply damaging to the sport in Pakistan. “It is not looking bright for Pakistan. You are killing a generation. Pakistan have produced fantastic talent over the years, but if you don’t allow these boys to play in the World Cup, you are harming the game and being unfair to your own players,” he said.
The ICC has reportedly expressed concern over Pakistan’s stance and urged the country to reconsider, citing the long-term impact such decisions could have on cricket. Kapil acknowledged that fans would be disappointed if the India-Pakistan match does not take place but warned that Pakistan could ultimately lose supporters if it persists with the boycott.
“The emotions and spectators will be affected. But in the long run, no one will miss them. People will move on, and that’s the reality,” Kapil concluded.
