New Delhi: After much dilly-dallying, Pakistan made a U-turn on the decision to boycott the game against India in the Twenty20 cricket World Cup, with the clearance now given to play the much-anticipated 15 February fixture.
Pakistan’s government, in an official statement on X, said that the team will play the match against the defending champions in Colombo. The decision, it said, 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.”
“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,” the Pakistan government posted on X.
It extended “best wishes to the Men in Green.”
“We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory,” the tweet added.
The last few days have seen intensified discussions between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) in an effort to get Pakistan to take back its threat to boycott their game against India at the T20 World Cup.
On Monday evening, PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi said a decision could come in the next 24-48 hours.
Minutes earlier, the ICC released a statement softening its stance towards Bangladesh, who were excluded from the T20 World Cup for refusing to travel to India, as it confirmed that no penalty would be levied on them. Furthermore, they were granted hosting rights for an additional ICC tournament in the 2028-2031 cycle.
“As part of this understanding, an agreement has been reached that Bangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031, subject to the usual ICC hosting processes, timelines and operational requirements. This reflects confidence in Bangladesh’s capability as a host and reinforces the ICC’s commitment to providing meaningful hosting opportunities across its membership to develop cricket in the country,” read the official press note of ICC.
Later, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a statement thanking the PCB for its support, and asking them to take part in their fixture against India.
On Sunday, ICC director Imran Khawaja and BCB chairperson Aminul Islam reached Lahore for negotiations. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said the decision to boycott the game against India was to show solidarity to Bangladesh after their exclusion.
Notably, the PCB was the only member other than the BCB to vote against Bangladesh’s removal from the T20 World Cup at an ICC board meeting. Naqvi accused the ICC of “double standards” over that decision and said Bangladesh had suffered an “injustice”.
(Edited by Tony Rai)