T20 WC 2026: 'Everyone else will say, ‘Tum to maroge hi, hume kyon le ke doob rahe ho' – Aakash Chopra warns Pakistan over boycotting India game

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Pakistan’s reported decision to boycott their India clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 could backfire in ways far bigger than anticipated. Chopra suggested that such a move may not just affect one marquee fixture but could also influence how other cricketing nations engage with Pakistan going forward.

According to Chopra, there is a possibility that international teams could rethink bilateral commitments with Pakistan, while participation of overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) may also come under scrutiny if the standoff escalates.

Chopra addressed claims surrounding the massive financial impact of an India-Pakistan match. He was asked about how the International Cricket Council (ICC) and broadcasters would compensate for the potential loss, especially amid reports that the governing body earns close to a quarter of a billion dollars from such encounters.

"Firstly, it's a slightly rough calculation. It's not written anywhere how much you would earn from a particular game. The rumor market is hot at the moment. Everyone is saying whatever they wish. So you can't say that you get a quarter billion dollars from this," Chopra responded in a video posted on his YouTube channel.

He went on to explain that the consequences of Pakistan stepping away could be far-reaching within the global cricket ecosystem.

"Plenty of things might happen. Everyone else will say, 'Tum to maroge hi, hume kyon le ke doob rahe ho (You will die, why are you drowning us along?).' They will ask them to be thrown out. Don't make them a part of the FTP. You can reprimand them because they are not bringing anything. You might not give NOC to their players or don't have bilateral engagements with them," he added.

"India will manage, but what about Pakistan?"

The cricketer-turned-commentator further pointed out that Pakistan’s stance appears more like a power play than a position of leverage, driven largely by the historic rivalry with India. He underlined that India would continue to function smoothly even if the fixture does not take place but raised concerns over Pakistan’s standing in the larger cricketing landscape.

In the same discussion, Chopra made a blunt assessment of Pakistan cricket’s current importance, stating that it is not rooted in consistent on-field dominance. The former India batter added that Pakistan’s relevance would reduce significantly if the India-Pakistan rivalry were to fade away.

"India will manage, but what about Pakistan? It’s not like they are an incredible cricketing team. Pakistan cricket is important not because they play well, as they don't play well. They have reached the final of an ICC event only twice in the last 10 years. They won for the last time in 2017 and reached the final in 2022. It's not like they are an incredible cricketing team," he said.

"Pakistan is important because the India-Pakistan rivalry is alive. The day you kill that rivalry, that India and Pakistan will not play against each other, India will continue on their merry way, but Pakistan's value, in terms of what they bring to the table, absolutely diminishes."