"Slap on face of Sports Minister": UBT Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Pakistan's boycott of T20 WC match against India

Speaking with ANI, Priyanka Chaturvedi emphasised the "lack of stance" on the issue and said that Pakistan will surely pay the fine by taking a loan from the IMF and the World bank but despite that, they have taken a strong stance against BCCI, while India "was found wanting."

"They (Pakistan) are willing to pay a penalty, a fine, and they are willing to face the consequences of all sporting bodies that our Sports Minister spoke about. It is a slap on the face of the Sports Minister of India, the BCCI that despite being the strongest, richest body in the ICC, they are being boycotted today and India couldn't take a stance when it should have," Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

"I am sure that for a penalty, fine, they will have to take an IMF or the World Bank loan, but they have taken a stance. But India was found wanting," she added.

Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai said that India has made a "mistake" by giving an opportunity to Pakistan.

"It was our mistake that we gave an opportunity to Pakistan, wherein it could turn us down. I believe that after a firm decision should have been taken after Operation Sindoor. 'One step forward, two steps back' is the foreign policy of this Govt," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said, "It is good. We do not even want to play against them. Pakistan nurtures terrorists. Will we play against them? They have only hatred against us. So, why do we even play against them?"

This comes after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC World T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15. The Pakistan government said in a post on X that the Pakistan team "shall not take the field" in the match against India.

In an X post on Sunday, the Government of Pakistan stated, "The Government of the Islamic Republic 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 2026 against India."

The Pakistan government did not give any reason for its decision not to play against India. The Indian team is in terrific form ahead of the World Cup and won the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 4-1.

Hours after Pakistan decided to boycott its T20 World Cup group stage clash against India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said that "selective participation" is not fair with the "fundamental premise of a global sporting event" and that it expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.

Pakistan decision came after The ICC had last month announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule. Bangladesh's refusal to travel to India for the T20 World Cup came after Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman was expelled from the IPL 2026 squad of Kolkata Knight Riders following BCCI's directive amidst violence against minorities in Bangladesh. (ANI)