emirates7 - -The tournament has been in the spotlight, after Bangladesh's absence was announced earlier, following their refusal to tour India over safety concerns

Pakistan "will not take the field in the match against India" on February 15, 2026, the country's government said. However, the Pakistan cricket team will participate in ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

The tournament has been in the spotlight, after Bangladesh's absence was announced earlier, following their refusal to tour India over safety concerns. The Asian nation was replaced by Scotland.

The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh's request to move their matches to tournament co-host Sri Lanka, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the tournament.

Amid worsening relations between South Asian nations, sports have been often caught in the middle. World Cricketers' Association (WCA) Chief Executive Tom Moffat earlier called for the "game’s leaders to work with all stakeholders, including Governing Bodies, leagues and players, to unite the sport, rather than allowing division or exclusion to take hold".