Sri Lanka wants Pakistan to re-think decision of boycott on match with India

Sri Lanka’s cricket board has urged the PCB to reconsider its decision to boycott the Group A match against India in the T20 World Cup 2026.

In a letter sent on Thursday, SLC claimed that a boycott would bring major financial loss not just on the board but on Sri Lanka’s economy, particularly its tourism industry. 

According to SLC “any non-participation will have wide-ranging implications, including substantial financial exposure for SLC and the potential loss of anticipated tourism inflows.”

The letter was sent as a reminder to Pakistan of Sri Lanka’s past support, including tours to Pakistan when other nations stayed away over security concerns. SLC has urged the PCB to take “exceptional circumstances, the enduring relationship … and the broader interests of the game of cricket” into account and play the scheduled match with India.

Pakistan’s government had directed the national team to boycott the match with India as a support to Bangladesh, which was excluded from the tournament after refusing to play matches in India over safety concerns. 

Meanwhile, India has confirmed it will travel to Colombo for the scheduled match.

However, if both teams reach the knockout stages, a potential clash could still occur, but Pakistan has said it will consult its government before taking a decision.