Pakistan government greenlights team to play India on February 15
The government of Pakistan has allowed the national team to play against India on February 15 in their group-stage T20 World Cup fixture, reversing the earlier boycott decision.
Ten days of backroom negotiations
The decision comes following extensive backroom talks between the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and several other governing bodies, most notably including the Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
A day earlier, the BCB president Aminul Islam and an ICC delegation, including Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja, met with the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to discuss the issue. In addition, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif over the phone on Monday as part of the same discussion.
"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,” an X (formerly Twitter) post from the Government of Pakistan read.
The discussions are understood to have included negotiated terms, after which Naqvi briefed Prime Minister Sharif, with the final decision resting with him.
Why did Pakistan earlier decide to boycott the game?
Pakistan initially decided to boycott their game against India after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the T20 World Cup. This move came after Bangladesh refused to play their World Cup games in India, citing security risks and requesting that their fixtures be shifted out of the country.
Even before the government of Pakistan officially forbade the team from taking the field on February 15 against India, the PCB chairman, Naqvi, had hinted at a formal protest against the ICC's decision. Earlier, there were also reports that Pakistan could boycott the entire tournament.
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