ISLAMABAD – Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup game against India and was directed to “take the field” in Colombo next Sunday.
A weeklong impasse ended on Monday, a day after International Cricket Council director Imran Khawaja and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam arrived in Lahore to talk with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
After Bangladesh was booted from the World Cup two weeks ago when the ICC dismissed its security concerns about playing in India, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi decried a “double standard” and said it was “an injustice.” The Pakistan government told its cricket board to boycott the India group game in solidarity with Bangladesh.
But Pakistan-India matches are the biggest and richest in cricket and the consequences of no match threatened current and future TV rights deals and ICC funding of the global game.
Sri Lanka Cricket urged Pakistan on Friday to reconsider and Bangladesh’s Islam asked on Monday that the match go ahead “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem.”
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period,” Islam said. “Long may our brotherhood flourish.”
The ICC on Monday said it would not penalize Bangladesh for missing the T20 World Cup for the first time. The ICC added Bangladesh had the right to approach the dispute resolution committee “should it choose to do so.”
Naqvi then announced a decision by Pakistan within 48 hours, but the final clincher appeared to come from a phone call on Monday evening between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The Pakistan government said Dissanayake asked Sharif “to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.”
The government then posted on X, “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”
Sharif gave his best wishes to the “Men in Green,” who have already started the World Cup with a win over the Netherlands.
The ICC said Bangladesh will be awarded a global tournament before the men’s World Cup in 2031.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in a statement that Bangladesh’s absence from the T20 World Cup “is regrettable but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation.”
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