The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced the Pakistan women’s A team for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars. The announcement comes just two days after the country’s government stated that its senior men’s cricket team for their scheduled match against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup on February 15.
Incidentally, Pakistan A face India A in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars on the same day.
Pakistan A are placed in Group A alongside India A, UAE and Nepal, while the Group B comprises of Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Malaysia and hosts Thailand. Top two sides from each group will play semi-finals after playing three games each.
The PCB made no mention of a possibility of boycotting the match in their press release announcing the squad. The only mention of the fixture itself is towards the end of the release in which PCB listed out the team’s group stage matches.
The Pakistan government on Sunday directed its team not to play against India in the group-stage fixture in Colombo on February 15, even as it cleared its participation in the tournament. “The government of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026. However, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India,” the Pakistan government said in a statement.
This came , where they will be based for the duration of the tournament which begins on February 7.
Just hours later, that “selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions”, and could have “long-term implications”. While Sunday’s statement specified the February 15 match, sources in Lahore said Pakistan not taking the field in a knockout fixture against India later in the tournament wasn’t part of their plan. “It is not our decision. We have to do what our government and the chairman (PCB) decide,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said in Lahore.
