ICC to "attempt an ice-melting step" on the sidelines of India vs Pakistan on February 15

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman Aminul Islam confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has invited five major Asian cricket board officials to the India–Pakistan clash on February 15. 

ICC look to melt the ice

The reason behind this move is to de-escalate the situation between the boards that brought Pakistan to the brink of boycotting the said game.

"The ICC has taken a decision in this regard. The five major Asian stakeholders play a central role in world cricket. During the India–Pakistan World Cup match on the 15th, the ICC wants representatives from these five Asian nations to attend together, watch the match and engage in dialogue,” Aminul said while speaking in an interview with Prothom Alo.

How did the row begin?

It began with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructing the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad. 

While no reason was made public, the worsening political ties between India and Bangladesh were largely believed to be the force behind the move.

In response, Bangladesh refused to play their T20 World Cup games in India, requesting the ICC for a change in schedule. However, the governing body refused and replaced them with Scotland. 

Pakistan, siding with Bangladesh, decided to boycott their game against India in protest. However, following a series of meetings involving an ICC delegation and chairs of several boards, the PCB reversed its decision.

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