Pakistan will play India on February 15, 2026, in Colombo, after the federal government stepped in to reverse a boycott that threatened to cancel the most important match of the T20 World Cup. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif permitted the choice following a cellphone name with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, ending a 48-hour disaster that put tens of millions of {dollars} in broadcast income in danger.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had introduced it will skip the India fixture in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was faraway from the event over safety issues. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who additionally serves as Pakistan’s Inside Minister, initially backed the boycott after the federal government ordered the group to not take the sector. However ICC officers flew to Lahore and warned that skipping one match whereas taking part in others may value Pakistan its share of event funds.
Why Pakistan Modified Its Thoughts
The reversal got here after the Worldwide Cricket Council made it clear that selective participation was not allowed. ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja met with PCB officers in Lahore and defined that broadcast contracts and sponsorship offers trusted the India-Pakistan match going forward. Stories counsel Pakistan would have misplaced as much as ₹1300 crore if the boycott continued, which might have hit the board more durable than another member nation besides Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka performed a key position in ending the standoff. President Dissanayake spoke instantly with Sharif and reminded him that Pakistan’s matches have been being hosted in Colombo beneath a impartial venue settlement reached in December 2024. The T20 battle had already induced issues for event organizers, and Sri Lanka wished to guard its repute as co-host.
Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam additionally traveled to Pakistan and requested officers to let the match proceed. BCB mentioned it wished to guard the worldwide cricket calendar although it was excluded from the event. In return, the ICC promised Bangladesh would host a serious occasion earlier than the 2031 Males’s World Cup and confirmed it will not face any penalties.
The Authorities Takes Over
Pakistan’s choice to finish the Pakistan boycott was made on the cupboard degree, not by cricket officers. Naqvi’s twin position as each PCB chairman and a authorities minister meant the board couldn’t act independently. Sources say the Prime Minister’s Workplace reviewed the monetary and diplomatic prices earlier than giving remaining approval.
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The ICC had warned that withdrawing from one fixture may injury Pakistan’s future funding. Smaller cricket boards like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies rely extra on ICC income distributions than richer boards in India, Australia, and England. A boycott would have set a foul precedent and put Pakistan’s share of future broadcast offers doubtful.
Pakistan had already crushed the Netherlands of their opening match on February 7 and have been scheduled to face the US on February 10. The group will now full the remainder of their group fixtures in Sri Lanka as deliberate. The India match stays the best income generator of the event and is predicted to attract document tv audiences throughout South Asia.
The federal government mentioned its choice was primarily based on requests from pleasant nations and a necessity to guard the spirit of cricket. Officers additionally pointed to the ICC’s multilateral discussions and Bangladesh’s personal request to maneuver ahead. Former Pakistan captains Shahid Afridi and Rashid Latif each supported taking part in the match, saying cricket shouldn’t be held hostage to political disputes.
Pakistan are the 2009 T20 World Cup champion and has not performed bilateral cricket towards India usually since political tensions elevated after the 1947 partition. The 2 nations have fought 4 wars and stay divided over Kashmir, however they proceed to fulfill in ICC tournaments beneath impartial circumstances.
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