Pakistan withdraw boycott of India match at T20 World Cup

The ten-day standoff over Pakistan's refusal to play India in their scheduled 2026 T20 World Cup group match ended with a flurry of press statements on Monday evening and near-simultaneous announcements from the Pakistan government and the ICC. The fixture, billed as the commercial centrepiece of the tournament, will now go ahead on February 15 in Colombo.

In its statement, the Pakistan government confirmed that several ICC members, including Sri Lanka and the UAE, had urged the PCB not to boycott the match, citing the financial impact on other nations. It also confirmed that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken to Sri Lanka President Kumara Dissanayake on the issue.

"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," the government statement concluded.

The ICC said talks had been successful. "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.

"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."

The decision not to penalise Bangladesh following their exclusion from the T20 World Cup for refusing to play in India appears to be the most significant public outcome of a fortnight of negotiations involving the ICC, the PCB and, ultimately, the BCB. Pakistan had linked its decision to boycott the India match to Bangladesh's absence from the tournament, which PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had described as an example of the ICC's "double standards" and an "injustice".

ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB also raised the issue of a more equitable ICC revenue-sharing model during negotiations, although neither the Pakistan government nor the ICC referred to this in their statements. Speculation that bilateral or trilateral series with India formed part of the PCB's conditions has been strongly denied by the board.

While back-channel communications had been ongoing since Naqvi first cast doubt on the PCB's participation in the T20 World Cup a fortnight earlier, discussions intensified after the Pakistan government announced that Pakistan would participate in the tournament but would not play India. These talks culminated in a meeting in Lahore on Sunday between Naqvi, BCB chairman Aminul Islam and ICC director Imran Khawaja. The PCB was the only ICC member aside from the BCB to vote against Bangladesh's removal from the T20 World Cup at a board meeting, and had insisted that any resolution to the India match boycott include redress for Bangladesh.

Earlier on Monday, ESPNcricinfo reported growing optimism that the discussions might lead to a breakthrough. Developments then moved quickly on Monday evening. Naqvi said a decision on Pakistan's match against India could come within the next 24 to 48 hours. Minutes earlier, the ICC had released its statement on Bangladesh, confirming that no penalty would be imposed. In addition, the BCB was granted hosting rights for an extra ICC tournament in the 2028–2031 cycle. In response, the BCB issued a statement thanking the PCB for its support and asking them to take part in their fixture against India. This was followed by the Pakistan government's statement.