Fact Check: Is Pakistan really banned by the ICC over T20 WC row?

A viral image claiming that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for one year and barred it from hosting tournaments until 2040 is fake. Pakistan had decided to boycott its Group A match against India in the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7.

According to BOOM, the ICC has not issued any such media release. On February 1, the Pakistani government stated on social media that it had granted permission for the national team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament but confirmed that the team would not take the field against India on February 15 in Colombo.

The viral image circulating on X claims to show an ICC release stating that Pakistan cricket has been banned for a year, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would be suspended for one year, Pakistan’s revenue share would be reduced from 5.75% to 2.25%, and the country would not be allowed to host ICC tournaments until 2040.

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However, BOOM reports that a check of the ICC’s official website and social media handles found no such announcement. While the ICC did release a statement addressing Pakistan’s decision not to play the match against India, it did not mention any ban on the PCB.

Further investigation revealed that the original image had been taken from the official Facebook page of DD Sports. The DD Sports logo, visible in the same position on February 2, also appears in the viral image, indicating that the original post was digitally altered to create the fake media release now circulating online.

On February 5, the Indian Express reported that, anticipating possible sanctions from the ICC over their last-minute withdrawal from the T20 World Cup game against India in Colombo, the PCB might invoke the ‘Force Majeure’ clause in their defence. The clause refers to unforeseeable circumstances that prevent a contract from being fulfilled, which the PCB could cite to justify their decision.