The biggest question around the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 refuses to fade. Pakistan have already decided they will not play India in their Group A clash. Yet fans everywhere are asking the same thing. What if the two rivals meet again in the knockout stage?
It is a scenario that feels unlikely, dramatic and entirely possible at the same time. And if it happens, the answer may not lie on the cricket field but in government offices.
The backdrop
This World Cup has carried tension long before the first ball. Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament, citing security concerns about travelling to India and were replaced by Scotland.
Pakistan openly backed Bangladesh and asked for similar arrangements to play their matches in Sri Lanka. They also threatened to pull out of the tournament in protest.
Eventually, Pakistan’s government cleared the team to participate in the tournament but instructed them not to play the group match against India on 15 February.
As a result, Pakistan will forfeit that game, lose two crucial points and suffer a hit to their net run rate. Still, the story does not end there.
What if they meet in the knockouts?
This very question was put to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha during the pre-tournament press conference in Colombo. According to Agha, the decision is not in the team’s hands.
If Pakistan face India in a semi-final or final, the team will once again seek guidance from the government and act according to that advice. In simple terms, the same rule that applied to the group match will apply again.
So yes, another forfeit cannot be ruled out. But neither can it be a last-minute green signal.
The cricketing challenge remains
Pakistan’s route to the knockouts is already complicated. Losing two points against India means the margin for error is very small.
Pakistan must now perform strongly against Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States. Even a washed-out game could hurt their qualification hopes because their net run rate has already taken a blow.
Agha acknowledged the challenge but remained focused. The captain admitted the team remembers the painful loss to the USA in the previous World Cup. This time, he says, Pakistan want to put things right and play positive cricket regardless of conditions.
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