Kapil Dev, the famed former captain of the Indian cricket team, voiced his dismay at Pakistan’s choice to not play against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan stated on Sunday that they would participate in the competition except for the match scheduled against India on February 15. This decision followed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) refusal to move Bangladesh’s matches from India due to ‘security concerns’, which led to Bangladesh’s withdrawal. Speaking with NDTV, Kapil Dev said that if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made the call to boycott the match, it would damage Pakistan’s image and negatively their cricketers.
Kapil Dev stated that If the players made this choice, they should speak up. If the board is ordering this, the country’s image suffers.
Kapil Dev added that Things are not looking good for Pakistan. They are ruining the chance for younger players. Pakistan has produced great players, but keeping these players from competing in the World Cup is harmful to the game and unfair to their own team.
The ICC has shared its worries about Pakistan’s decision and requested a second look, given the likely long-term on cricket in Pakistan. Kapil Dev noted that while fans would be upset if the match is canceled, Pakistan risks losing fans if they stick to their plan to ‘boycott’ the match against India.
Kapil Dev concluded that People will have strong emotions and fans will suffer. But eventually, people will forget about them without missing them.