Although Pakistan are yet to officially reveal their stance on participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka has already begun security preparations to host the ICC tournament. The island nation is set to stage 20 of the 55 matches, including six Super Eight fixtures. Special emphasis, however, has been placed on the blockbuster February 15 clash between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
India are scheduled to face Pakistan on February 15 (AP)
Elite commando units, typically deployed to protect visiting heads of state,will be assigned to safeguard all participating teams to ensure the tournament runs smoothly. Sri Lanka, however, has accorded the India-Pakistan match the “highest priority”. Sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage told AFP that the country is “paying special attention” to the Group A fixture.
“From the time they step out of the airport until they return to their aircraft, they will be protected by armed guards,” an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Sri Lanka was added as a co-host for the 2026 T20 World Cup after Pakistan refused to travel to India. The move came after the ICC designated Dubai as a neutral venue for all of India’s matches in the Champions Trophy earlier this month, following the BCCI’s refusal to send its team to Pakistan. Subsequently, the PCB, BCCI and ICC entered into an agreement under which a neutral venue will be chosen if either India or Pakistan is the host nation for any ICC event until 2031.
Earlier, Bangladesh had also pushed for Sri Lanka to host its World Cup matches, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board refusing to send its team to India over security concerns. However, the ICC rejected the request outright.
With Bangladesh remaining adamant in its stance, the ICC had little option but to remove the team from the tournament. Earlier this month, the governing council named Scotland as Bangladesh’s replacement in Group B.
Following the ICC’s decision, Pakistan indicated that it may boycott the event in solidarity with Bangladesh. PCB is expected to announce its final call by Monday, with the board awaiting confirmation from the government.