AHMEDABAD: South Africa prevailed in a double super over thriller as Afghanistan came up agonizingly short of a famous victory after their T20 World Cup clash ended in a tie on Wednesday.&nbsp;Afghanistan were 187 all out after South Africa scored 187-6 in the Group D encounter in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;The teams were tied again after a breathless first super over saw them both score 18, before South Africa won off the final ball of a heart-thumping second sudden-death showdown.&nbsp;After South Africa bludgeoned 23 from their second super over and Afghanistan lost a wicket off the second ball of theirs, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was left needing four sixes off four balls for an unlikely victory.&nbsp;Gurbaz sensationally launched Keshav Maharaj into the crowd three times with some huge blows.&nbsp;A wide off the fifth ball meant Afghanistan still needed six to win, but now a four would send it, incredibly, to a third super over.&nbsp;With nerves jangling and pulses racing, the left-arm spinner held his nerve to bowl a wide yorker that Gurbaz smacked into the grateful hands of David Miller at point as he looked to hit a boundary.&nbsp;Afghanistan semi-finalists in 2024 also lost to the group&#39;s other heavyweights, New Zealand, leaving their chances of advancing as one of the top two teams all but over.&nbsp;&quot;The boys did an amazing job, especially with the way they started with the bat,&quot; said Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan.&nbsp;&quot;To restrict them under 190 was amazing. &nbsp;So, so unlucky to be part of a losing team.&quot;&nbsp;It was South Africa&#39;s second win. New Zealand have also won both their matches and are top of the group on net run rate.&nbsp;&quot;There&#39;s areas we can improve,&quot; said South Africa captain Aiden Markram.&nbsp;&quot;Small little phases, and it adds up to a lot in this format. You need to win games like this.&quot;&nbsp;A few minutes earlier, after Gurbaz scored a brilliant 42-ball 84 in the chase, Afghanistan had needed 13 off the last over of the match to win with one wicket in hand.&nbsp;After Kagiso Rabada bowled two no-balls and a wide, and Noor Ahmad hit a six, Afghanistan needed two to win off three balls.&nbsp;But after Noor turned for the second run that would have won the match, Fazalhaq Farooqi was run out at the non-striker&#39;s end, and the scores were tied.&nbsp;South Africa pace bowler Lungi Ngidi was named player of the match after his 3-26 in four overs.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;ve lost so much weight today,&quot; said a smiling Ngidi.&nbsp;&quot;Never been that stressed in my life in a cricket game. Happy to come out on the winning side.&quot;&nbsp;Quinton de Kock (59) and Ryan Rickelton (61) were the mainstays of South Africa&#39;s innings as they put on 114 for the second wicket.

Cricket

South Africa beat Afghanistan in a dramatic double super over after both scored 187 in Ahmedabad. Afghanistan's right-hand batter Gurbaz’s 84 nearly sealed victory, but Afghanistan fell short. Ngidi starred with 3-26 as South Africa secured their second win

South Africa pip Afghanistan in double super over T20 thriller

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had &ldquo;made its own bed&rdquo; by allowing some teams to refuse to play in certain countries while denying the same option to others.&nbsp;Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast alongside David Lloyd, Michael Vaughan, and Phil Tufnell, Butcher criticized what he described as the &ldquo;nonsense&rdquo; surrounding India&rsquo;s refusal to play Pakistan outside ICC tournaments, calling the overall approach hypocritical. &#39;Pakistan pulled a blinder&#39; Butcher said Pakistan&rsquo;s stance had dealt a major blow to India and the ICC, given the commercial importance of an India-Pakistan fixture.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan have basically pulled a blinder. They have said they still&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-departs-for-t20-world-cup-will-not-play-against-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">want to be involved in the tournament</a>, but they are not going to play India. That is the only lever Pakistan have to pull in this situation. For India, that&rsquo;s a disaster,&rdquo; he said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 524px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2018975086917964182&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=ad2152ad0bfbd2fe032e994bdc015718dac83bd2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2018975086917964182"></iframe></div></div>Butcher criticized the ICC&rsquo;s handling of security concerns raised by different teams, pointing to Bangladesh&rsquo;s case ahead of the T20 World Cup in India. He said Bangladesh was not given the same options that India had previously received when it refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. He noted that India played all of its Champions Trophy matches, including the semi-final and final, in Dubai after citing security concerns, while Bangladesh&rsquo;s request for similar flexibility was denied.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistan-India game is the most lucrative fixture in world cricket. That&rsquo;s why these two teams are always placed in the same group. It&rsquo;s not a coincidence. Everything is arranged from the top,&rdquo; Butcher said.&nbsp;He added that while most teams qualify and are placed in groups through standard procedures, special arrangements are often made for India due to commercial considerations. &ldquo;With these two teams, it&rsquo;s all about money,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Former England captain Michael Vaughan also questioned the consistency of ICC decisions, saying the governing body appeared to apply different rules to different teams.&nbsp;&ldquo;Is it one rule for one and another for another? India refused to play in Pakistan and got a neutral venue. Bangladesh didn&rsquo;t get the same treatment. That&rsquo;s why Pakistan are taking this stance,&rdquo; Vaughan said.&nbsp;The comments come as reactions continue after the Pakistani government confirmed that the national team would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-to-play-t20-world-cup-2026-skip-india-match" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">skip the group-stage match against India</a>&nbsp;scheduled for February 15. The decision followed consultations between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. &#39;ICC double standards&#39; Pakistan&rsquo;s move was described by officials as a response to the ICC&rsquo;s &ldquo;double standards&rdquo; in dealing with Bangladesh&rsquo;s security concerns ahead of the tournament.&nbsp;Butcher said Pakistan&rsquo;s refusal to play India was a direct reaction to that decision. &ldquo;If you won&rsquo;t come to us, we won&rsquo;t play against you,&rdquo; he said, summing up Pakistan&rsquo;s position.&nbsp;Following Pakistan&rsquo;s decision, reports say the ICC has been left concerned about the potential financial and logistical fallout, given the massive broadcast and commercial value attached to an India-Pakistan clash.&nbsp;Butcher also highlighted what he described as a power imbalance within international cricket, calling India the most influential and wealthiest nation in the sport.&nbsp;&ldquo;When this happens, it affects all the other teams. Schedules change, teams have to travel to suit India, and everyone else has to fit in,&rdquo; he said.

Former England cricketer says Pakistan’s stance had dealt a major blow to India and the ICC.

ICC ‘hypocrisy’ exposed as Pakistan skips India clash in T20 WC: Mark Butcher

LAHORE: Pakistan take on Australia in a three-match Twenty20 international series starting in Lahore from Thursday, despite doubts over their participation in next month&#39;s World Cup in cricket&#39;s shortest format.&nbsp;The country&#39;s cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi will announce a final decision on taking part in the mega event either on Friday or Monday.&nbsp;Pakistan are protesting over last week&#39;s decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which rejected Bangladesh&#39;s demand to relocate their matches out of India over security fears.&nbsp;Bangladesh are replaced by Scotland in the 20-team event, which runs from February 7 to March 8 with Sri Lanka as co-hosts.&nbsp;However, despite the doubts, the Pakistan team was preparing for the World Cup with skipper Salman Agha stressing the importance of the<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/australia-announce-squad-for-threegame-t20i-series-in-pakistan" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Australia</a> series.&nbsp;&quot;These three games will give us an idea how prepared we are for the World Cup,&quot; Agha told a news conference on Wednesday. &quot;Australia is a top team and will give us the best final preparations.&quot;&nbsp;Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside defending world champions India, the United States, Namibia and the Netherlands.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to full fitness after injuring his knee in the Big Bash League in Australia this month.&nbsp;&quot;We need to see how many boxes we tick in the series which are important for the World Cup as we aim to do well and win the Cup,&quot; Agha said.&nbsp;A 17-member Australian squad led by Mitchell Marsh arrived in Lahore early on Wednesday, with the last two matches set for January 31 and February 1.&nbsp;The Australians are without the injured quartet of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis, while allrounder Glenn Maxwell was rested to manage workload.&nbsp;Marsh still believes Australia were ready for the World Cup tune-up series.&nbsp;&quot;These are very important times in both teams&#39; preparations for the World Cup,&quot; said Marsh, whose team will be in Group B with Sri Lanka, Oman, Ireland and Zimbabwe.&nbsp;&quot;This is a very important series as the conditions are similar and that is against a quality side, so we will assess the situation and be clear about our plans ahead.&quot;

Pakistan face Australia in a three-match T20 series in Lahore as World Cup participation remains undecided, with both teams using the matches as preparation. Pakistan welcome back Shaheen Afridi, while Australia miss several injured players.

Pakistan face Australia with T20 World Cup participation uncertain

DHAKA:&nbsp;Bangladesh will not travel to India to play in next month&#39;s T20 World Cup, its cricket board said on Thursday, effectively ruling the country out of the tournament. &quot;Our only demand is to play the World Cup &mdash; but not in India,&quot; Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul told reporters. The refusal came a day after cricket&#39;s governing body <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/icc-rejects-bangladeshs-plea-to-play-t20-world-cup-matches-outside-india" style="color:#0073e6;">rejected</a> Bangladesh&#39;s plea to play its games in Sri Lanka instead. &quot;There is no scope for changing our decision,&quot; said Asif Nazrul, an adviser for youth and sports issues in Bangladesh&#39;s interim government. The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, with Bangladesh scheduled to play their four group matches in the Indian cities of Kolkata and Mumbai. The row between the neighboring nations erupted on January 3 when the Indian cricket board ordered the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-drops-bangladeshi-star-from-ipl-amid-political-pressure" style="color:#0073e6;">release</a> Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur&#39;s removal from the IPL followed online outrage by right-wing Indian Hindus who invoked alleged attacks on a fellow community in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Dhaka maintains that the Indian media had exaggerated the scale of the violence. The sport&#39;s global governing body said on Wednesday it had &quot;engaged with the BCB in sustained and constructive dialogue&quot; to ensure Bangladesh could participate in the tournament, but added that those efforts had been &quot;rebuffed.&quot; The International Cricket Council (ICC) said &quot;independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities&quot; found there was &quot;no credible or verifiable threat to the safety&quot; of the Bangladesh team. &#39;Lose a huge audience&#39;&nbsp;However, Nazrul said Bangladesh&#39;s security concerns &quot;did not arise from speculation or theoretical analysis.&quot; &quot;They arose from a real incident &mdash; where one of our country&#39;s top players was forced to bow to extremists, and the Indian cricket board asked him to leave India,&quot; he said. Bangladesh will hold elections during the World Cup, its first since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi. Political relations have since soured between Bangladesh and India, where Hasina fled after she was ousted. There are wider issues for India, which is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, that are seen as a stepping stone for its ambitions to host the 2036 Olympics. &quot;Bangladesh is a cricket-loving nation. If a country of nearly 200 million people misses the World Cup, the ICC will lose a huge audience,&quot; the BCB&#39;s Bulbul said. &quot;Cricket is entering the Olympics in 2028, Brisbane in 2032, and India is bidding for 2036. Excluding a major cricket-loving country like Bangladesh would be a failure.&quot; Bangladesh&#39;s appeal to the ICC was not without precedent, with India&#39;s arch-enemy Pakistan to play all its games in Sri Lanka. That deal was struck after India, a financial and administrative powerhouse within cricket, refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy and played its matches in Dubai instead. However, the ICC said a year later, a similar shift was impossible for Bangladesh. &quot;There are many precedents worldwide where matches have been moved to other venues due to security risks,&quot; Bangladesh&#39;s Nazrul said. ICC sources told AFP this week that Bangladesh could be replaced by Scotland, the highest-ranked team that did not qualify outright for the World Cup.

ICC sources report that Scotland could replace Bangladesh, the highest-ranked team that did not qualify outright for the World Cup; refusal came a day after cricket's governing body rejected Bangladesh's plea to play its games in Sri Lanka instead.

Bangladesh refuse to go to India for T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-origin United States cricketers Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir have reportedly been denied Indian visas ahead of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India from February 7 to March 8.&nbsp;Fast bowler Ali Khan drew attention to the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir. The caption read: &ldquo;Indian visa denied but KFC for the win.&rdquo; The post quickly circulated among cricket fans, highlighting visa-related difficulties faced by players of Pakistani origin.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/459fe11f-a4c9-44c1-b9f3-93b99c992e78.png" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Media reports suggest the issue extends beyond the USA squad. Several associate nations, including Italy, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the USA, reportedly have players of Pakistani descent or dual nationality who are facing problems obtaining Indian visas.&nbsp;Cricket boards of these countries have formally approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for clarity and guidance. However, reports say they have yet to receive any assurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).&nbsp;The USA squad named for the tournament includes four players of Pakistani origin. Ali Khan, 35, was born in Pakistan and has represented the USA in 15 ODIs and 18 T20Is, taking 49 wickets across both formats.&nbsp;Karachi-born Shayan Jahangir, 31, has played 32 ODIs for the USA, scoring 795 runs with two centuries and three half-centuries. In T20Is, he has scored 371 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 134.42, including two fifties.&nbsp;Former Pakistan international Ehsan Adil, who played three Tests and six ODIs for Pakistan, is set to make his USA debut at the tournament. Another Pakistan-born player, Mohammad Mohsin from Peshawar, who featured briefly in the Pakistan Super League for Peshawar Zalmi, is also part of the squad.&nbsp;The USA will be appearing in their second ICC T20 World Cup, following a memorable campaign in 2024 when they stunned 2009 champions Pakistan in a Super Over.&nbsp;The team has been placed in Group A alongside hosts India, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The USA will open their campaign against India on February 7, followed by matches against Pakistan on February 10, the Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15.&nbsp;USA squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Monank Patel (captain), Jessy Singh (vice-captain), Ehsan Adil, Andries Gous, Shayan Jahangir, Shehan Jayasuriya, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, Sai Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Rushil Ugarkar and Shadley van Schalkwyk.

Fast bowler Ali Khan highlights the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir

Pakistan-origin US cricketers denied Indian visas for T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s Youth and Sports Advisor Dr Asif Nazrul has said there is no conducive atmosphere for Bangladesh to participate in the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup in India, citing serious security concerns raised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).&nbsp;According to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Dr Nazrul made the remarks on Monday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) received a letter from the ICC&rsquo;s security team highlighting potential risks to the Bangladesh team if it travels to India for the tournament. Speaking to reporters at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Bhaban, Dr Nazrul said the ICC security assessment pointed to three key issues. These include increased security risks if star fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman is part of the squad, potential threats if Bangladeshi supporters move around wearing the national team jersey, and rising security challenges as India approaches its election period. He said these observations clearly demonstrate that conditions are not <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-say-will-not-play-t20-world-cup-matches-if-in-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">suitable for Bangladesh to play the T20 World Cup in India</a>. Terming the ICC&rsquo;s stance as &ldquo;bizarre and unrealistic,&rdquo; Dr Nazrul said it is unreasonable to expect Bangladesh to field a team without its leading bowler, restrict fans from wearing national colors, or even consider election-related adjustments simply to participate in a cricket tournament. Dr Nazrul further alleged that the prevailing communal situation in India, along with what he described as a sustained anti-Bangladesh campaign over the past 16 months, has made it impossible for the Bangladeshi team to feel secure. He stressed that cricket should not be controlled by a single market or country, adding that if the ICC truly functions as a global body, it should offer Bangladesh the opportunity to play the T20 World Cup in a neutral venue such as Sri Lanka. The sports adviser said Bangladesh would not accept any compromise on player safety and dignity, adding that the lack of a safe playing environment in India has been clearly established. He concluded by saying that when even Indian cricket authorities indicate concerns about Bangladeshi players&rsquo; participation, it leaves little doubt that there is no viable playing environment for Bangladesh anywhere in India.

Says observations made by ICC security team clearly demonstrate that conditions are not suitable for Bangladesh to play the T20 World Cup in India.

No conducive environment to play T20 World Cup in India: Bangladesh adviser

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The International Cricket Council (ICC), chaired by Jay Shah, has reportedly rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to shift Bangladesh&rsquo;s matches out of India for the upcoming ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup. Shah, who assumed charge as ICC chair in August 2024, previously served as secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the decision was conveyed to the BCB during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, where the ICC informed the Bangladesh board that it would not consider relocating the fixtures.&nbsp; The governing body is also understood to have warned that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points. However, the BCB has denied receiving any such ultimatum, stating that the ICC has relayed no formal communication to that effect. Neither the ICC nor the BCCI has issued an official statement on the outcome of Tuesday&rsquo;s meeting, which was convened after the BCB wrote to the ICC on Sunday requesting it to &ldquo;consider&rdquo; moving Bangladesh&rsquo;s matches outside India. Last week, the BCB said&nbsp;it had &quot;formally requested&quot; the ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-say-will-not-play-t20-world-cup-matches-if-in-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">shift their games to Sri Lanka</a>.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&quot;The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,&quot; a BCB statement read. The development comes less than a month before the 20-team T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held across India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 7 to March 8.&nbsp; Bangladesh, placed in Group C, are set to play their first three matches in Kolkata, against the West Indies on Feb. 7, Italy on Feb. 9, and England on Feb. 14, before facing Nepal in Mumbai on Feb. 17. The BCB&rsquo;s concerns reportedly stem from a recent decision by the BCCI to instruct IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-drops-bangladeshi-star-from-ipl-amid-political-pressure" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman,</a>&nbsp;who was bought at the December auction for INR 9.2 crore (about $1.02 million).&nbsp;The decision was confirmed to the media by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, though no reason was provided for the release. It remains unclear who was involved in the decision, as the IPL Governing Council is understood not to have convened to discuss the matter. Mustafizur was the only Bangladesh player selected at the 2026 IPL auction.

Warns that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points.

Jay Shah-led ICC refuses to shift Bangladesh matches out of India: Report

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing backlash after releasing its promotional poster for the T20 World Cup 2026, which notably excluded Pakistan&rsquo;s captain, while featuring India&rsquo;s skipper.&nbsp;The omission has ignited claims of political bias, with fans accusing the ICC of being influenced by India&rsquo;s growing power in global cricket.&nbsp;The poster, which highlights captains from India, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, left out Pakistan, one of the top T20 teams.&nbsp;Fans and cricket commentators have slammed the decision, suggesting that it was politically motivated, particularly given India&rsquo;s role as a co-host of the upcoming tournament.&nbsp;Critics have pointed fingers at Jay Shah, the ICC Chairman, who is closely associated with India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They argue that India&rsquo;s increasing influence within cricket governance is undermining the sport&rsquo;s neutrality and fairness.&nbsp;On social media, Pakistan&rsquo;s cricket fans expressed outrage, accusing the ICC of marginalizing Pakistan&rsquo;s visibility in favor of India. &ldquo;This exclusion is too blatant to be accidental,&rdquo; said one user.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1999081034592452759&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ba08552c2cc582da3a648854d29a83adfd706612&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1999081034592452759"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Such promotional material passes through multiple layers of approval.&rdquo; Many see this as part of a broader trend where administrative decisions reflect the geopolitics of the region, with India often at the center.&nbsp;This controversy has deepened mistrust between the cricketing nations, with Pakistanis feeling sidelined in global cricket politics. Analysts point out that such issues, whether administrative or on-field, often mirror the tense political relations between the two countries.&nbsp;Amid the turmoil, the upcoming India-Pakistan clash on February 15 next year, at Colombo&rsquo;s R. Premadasa Stadium is already set to be a high-stakes fixture that will draw immense global attention.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s group-stage matches will take place in Sri Lanka due to a neutral venue agreement, ensuring the games avoid being held in India.&nbsp;With the T20 World Cup spanning eight venues in both India and Sri Lanka, the final is scheduled for March 8, 2026, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Fans and cricket commentators slam political bias under Jay Shah’s leadership, criticizing ICC’s T20 World Cup poster for excluding Pakistan’s captain and favoring India.

ICC T20 World Cup poster sparks outrage over Pakistan exclusion

MUMBAI: Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have been clubbed together in the same group and will play each other on February 15 in Colombo in the T20 World Cup 2026, cricket&#39;s world body announced Tuesday.&nbsp;Defending champions India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A in the 20-team competition being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, according to the schedule released by the International Cricket Council in Mumbai.&nbsp;It will be the first time the two teams play each other since their three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup in the UAE, where they skipped the customary handshake at the toss and post-match greetings.&nbsp;The Asia Cup was the first time they had met since deadly border conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May.&nbsp;The T20 World Cup will see Pakistan playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, part of a compromise deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments.&nbsp;Matches in the tournament will be held from February 7 across five venues in India and three in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;The tournament will use the same format as 2024, 20 teams in four groups, ahead of a Super Eights phase, with the top two finishers from each group making it to the playoffs.&nbsp;The final will be played on March 8 either in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan go all the way.

India and Pakistan will meet on February 15 in Colombo after being grouped together for the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Their fixtures will be held at neutral venues under an agreed arrangement.

Articles tagged with "T20 World Cup 2026"