BCCI slammed for India being put in same group as Pakistan in 2026 Women's T20 World Cup: 'Nationalism has a cost'

The BCCI was expected to boycott Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror Attack as well as the recent armed conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad. The board, however, has not raised objection to the Jay Shah-led ICC putting India and Pakistan in the same group in next year's Women's T20 World Cup in England. read more
India and Pakistan are set to face each other in Edgbaston, Birmingham in next year's Women's T20 World Cup in England. AFP
India has not played any form of bilateral cricket with Pakistan since January 2013, with the two arch-rivals facing each other only in ICC and Asian events due to political tensions as well as cross-border terrorism.
And after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in April that was followed by a military showdown between the two nuclear-armed nations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was advised to completely boycott Pakistan for some time.
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The BCCI, therefore, is facing heavy criticism for India and Pakistan being placed in the same group in the Women's T20 World Cup that is set to take place in England next year.
This despite the fact that it's the ICC and not the BCCI that is responsible for organising all global events including the Women's T20 World Cup, and has been ensuring at least one Indo-Pak face-off in every tournament to cash in on their fierce rivalry.
However, what is interesting to note is the fact that the Dubai-based world governing body is currently led by former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who also happens to be the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Meaning the Group 1 fixture between India and Pakistan, which will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday, 14 June could not have happened without his approval.
Netizens slam BCCI for allowing India-Pakistan fixture to be confirmed
Here are some of the reactions to the India-Pakistan fixture in next year's T20 World Cup:
BCCI's nationalism has a cost. I thought the cost was India v Pakistan matches at Men's ICC events given the revenue it generates, but the cost of BCCI's nationalism is much lower. https://t.co/qSbqsrkXu8 — Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) June 18, 2025
Heard That @BCCI Had Asked @ICC To Not Put #India & #Pakistan In The Same Group in #ICC Tournaments, then why are India & Pak Women's Team grouped together ? @BCCI @BCCIWomen was it all drama or you care to take any concrete actions or have you shamelessly forgotten April-May… https://t.co/Zhs1533HBH — Utkarsh Vashistha 🇮🇳 (@UtkarshV_BJP) June 19, 2025
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Come on @BCCI for once come out of your gold coffers and think of the nation. Understand the sentiment. Instead of blocking Pakistan from world cricket, you decided to play them? All that power and can't arm twist when needed? pic.twitter.com/D0wEnSmKfQ — Shreya (@shreyamatsharma) June 16, 2025
So its not even been 2 months since Pehalgam attack which almost caused an all out war with Pakistan and here BCCI again didn't opposed ICC for putting India in same group with Pakistan????
I still remember there was news after Pehalgam attack that India will tell ICC to not put… https://t.co/aPmNrxRU5l — Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 18, 2025
Ok,I understand India and Pakistan are playing together in the ODI World Cup because of Round-Robin format,but why the hell have they been placed in the same group in T20 World Cup @BCCI ?It's proved that Star Sports and BCCI only care about money and not national interest! https://t.co/FCillendt4 — Delhi Capitals Fan (@pantiyerfc) June 18, 2025
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India vs pakistan reallllllyy, people forgot things too quickly — shantanu Kumar (@shantanu_k98529) June 18, 2025
Before the T20 World Cup, India and Pakistan will also face each other in Colombo on 5 October during the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup. Pakistan's matches have been moved to Colombo as a result of the 'Hybrid Model' that saw India play its' matches in the UAE during the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
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And unlike the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup will be played in a round-robin format in which each of the eight teams will be the remaining seven sides before the knock-outs, meaning it was impossible to separate India and Pakistan in such a tournament.
The ICC, however, is yet to announce the schedule for the Men's T20 World Cup, which will be jointly-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and will be taking place in the months of February and March – before the women's tournament.

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