Pakistan's cricket team was barred from playing India in the T20 World Cup due to government orders, canceling the match.

The India-Pakistan T20 World Cup group stage match on February 15 was canceled by the Pakistani government, which instructed the team not to play for unspecified reasons. Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar downplayed the absence, claiming that the rivalry has lost its competitive balance, with India now dominating Pakistan so decisively that victories feel like wins over "minnows." He argued that matches against top teams such as Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa are more important. The ICC expressed concern about "selective participation," emphasizing that it undermines global tournament integrity, but has not announced any sanctions or called an emergency meeting. Pakistan's captain, Salman Agha, confirmed that players must follow government and PCB directives. The situation resembles a previous incident in which Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland after refusing to play in India.