ISLAMABAD : Pakistan’s decision to reverse a boycott of their Twenty20 World Cup match against India has been welcomed by fans eager to see the two rivals face each other again.
Pakistan’s government on Monday agreed to allow the national team to play India in the match scheduled for Sunday in Sri Lanka. It had earlier instructed the team to boycott the fixture in solidarity with Bangladesh, who declined to tour India citing security concerns.
Cricket fans said matches between Pakistan and India carried a unique intensity.
“There is a different intensity to it. If Pakistan wins by 12 runs, there is no greater happiness than that,” said Kafeel Ahmed, a fan from Karachi. “This happiness is not just about a challenge against a rival; it is the feeling that comes after defeating your opponent.”
Bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours has largely been frozen for more than a decade, with the teams not having played a full series since 2012–13 and now meeting mainly at neutral venues. The decision to reverse the boycott followed appeals from cricket authorities, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
“The benefit is not only that the public is happy or that young people who play cricket are happy; it also increases business and public interest,” said another fan, Rai Fayaz.
Relations between New Delhi and both Islamabad and Dhaka have deteriorated in recent months, with political tensions increasingly spilling into sport. India and Pakistan were involved in their worst conflict in decades in May, while ties with Bangladesh soured after then prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024 following violent protests.
Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, welcomed the resolution.
“All kudos to the ICC for taking this initiative, resolving the whole issue and bringing cricket back to the forefront,” Shukla said. “This is a big achievement as far as the ICC is concerned.”
