At last, the inevitable happened. The Government of Pakistan reversed its earlier order, allowing the men’s team to take the field against India in the T20 World Cup on February 15, 2025, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
It took just eight days for a U-turn to happen, and all it took was an ICC delegation visiting the country and holding talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi. The Government of Pakistan, in its reasoning, said that the decision to play the fixture against India was taken with the aim of “protecting the spirit” of the sport and to “support the continuity” of the global game in all the participating nations.
Just minutes after it was confirmed that the marquee Group A match between India and Pakistan would indeed proceed according to the original schedule, the ICC released a statement of its own, saying the dialogue with PCB happened on February 8 as part of a “broader engagement” where it was decided that all members will respect their commitments.
“The dialogue between ICC and PCB took place as part of a broader engagement with both parties recognising the need for constructive dealings and being united, committed and purposeful in their aspirations to serve the best interests of the game with integrity, neutrality and cooperation,” the ICC said in an official statement late on Monday night.
“In that prevailing spirit, it was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success,” it added.
On Monday, the ICC also confirmed that Bangladesh would face no sanctions for not participating in the T20 World Cup. Earlier, the Bangla Tigers were shown the door from the tournament and replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India due to security concerns. It was also confirmed that Bangladesh would host one ICC event before the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031.
“With respect to Bangladesh, the ICC reiterated its continued facilitation of growth in one of cricket’s most vibrant markets, with more than 200 million passionate fans to ensure that the national team’s non-participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 does not have any long-term effects on cricket in the country,” the ICC said about Bangladesh’s absence from the tournament.
BCB also part of PCB-ICC meeting
On Sunday, even the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam was a part of the meeting between the ICC delegation and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. During this meeting, both the PCB and BCB put forward some demands, and the ICC delegation was told to do the needful.
A day later, the ICC issued its own statement, paving the way for Pakistan to eventually make a U-turn and play the fixture against India, a major cash cow for all stakeholders, especially broadcasters.
Just minutes before, the ICC confirmed that no sanctions would be imposed on Bangladesh. The BCB chief issued a formal release urging the PCB to play the match against India, marking the first sign of Pakistan potentially softening its stance on the T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match against India.