T20 World Cup: Pakistan seek bilateral series vs India for boycott U-turn, ICC says no
T20 World Cup 2026: The International Cricket Council rejected three of the five demands put forward by the Pakistan Cricket Board in return for reversing its decision to boycott the February 15 match against India. Pakistan's demands included the resumption of bilateral series against India and a tri-series involving Bangladesh.
The Pakistan Cricket Board put forward several demands to the International Cricket Council during Sunday's meeting over Pakistan's stance on boycotting their T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15. The ICC rejected three of those demands, including proposals for the resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan and a tri-series involving Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
The ICC also gave PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi a day to consult Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and confirm the board’s stance. The global governing body is expected to make an official announcement on the status of the India–Pakistan match either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
The meeting, which lasted over five hours on Sunday, was attended by Mohsin Naqvi - who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister - and ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja. Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also travelled to Lahore to be part of the discussions, after Pakistan emerged as the only member nation to vote against Bangladesh's removal from the T20 World Cup following the BCB's refusal to travel to India for its matches.
The Pakistan government, in a February 1 social media post, denied permission for its senior national team to compete against India in the T20 World Cup without providing further details. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later clarified that the decision was taken as a show of support for Bangladesh and accused the ICC of favouritism.
WHAT WERE THOSE 5 DEMANDS?
In total, five demands were placed before the ICC. The treatment of Bangladesh, which Pakistan believes was unfair, has been a central position taken by the PCB in its discussions with the ICC over the past few days.
- No penalty for Bangladesh: Pakistan insisted that Bangladesh should not be penalised for pulling out of the T20 World Cup and must receive its full share of ICC revenue - a position the ICC had already decided on independently.
- Compensatory global event: The ICC was urged to award Bangladesh a compensatory global tournament after last year's Women's T20 World Cup was moved from the country to Dubai due to civil unrest. An Under-19 World Cup in the next cycle was proposed as a possible alternative.
- India-Pakistan bilaterals: Pakistan demanded that the ICC encourage India to resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan. The ICC rejected the request, reiterating that bilateral series fall outside its jurisdiction, even within the framework of the World Test Championship.
- Tri-series and Bangladesh tour: Proposals for an India-Pakistan-Bangladesh tri-series and for India to tour Bangladesh later this year, for a series postponed in 2025, were also turned down. The ICC maintained that it does not have the authority to mandate bilateral or trilateral series.
The ICC has been in dialogue with the PCB since the latter formally wrote to the global governing body outlining the Pakistan government's decision to boycott the February 15 match against India. In its response, the ICC sought clarification from the PCB regarding the invocation of the force majeure clause and urged the board to reconsider its stance.
WILL INDIA TRAVEL TO COLOMBO?
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to issue an official statement, it is reliably learnt that the board is awaiting formal communication from the ICC on the matter.
According to top sources, the Indian team will proceed strictly as per ICC protocol. The side is expected to travel to Sri Lanka as scheduled and carry out its routine pre-match preparations, including training sessions and the mandatory pre-match press conference. India will arrive at the R Premadasa Stadium at the designated time on match day and will wait for the match referee to take a call on calling off the fixture should Pakistan choose not to take the field.
WHAT ABOUT THE LOSSES IF PAKISTAN WITHDRAW?
The India–Pakistan clash remains the most lucrative fixture in global cricket, generating revenue to the tune of Rs 2,200 crore, according to PTI.
To capitalise on that appeal, the ICC have placed the two teams in the same group at every major tournament since 2012, even as worsening diplomatic relations have ruled out bilateral cricket for the last 14 years.
If Pakistan remain adamant, they would risk losing millions in revenues and a no-show would cause significant financial damage to the ICC coffers. The host broadcaster could incur advertisement revenue losses in the range of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for a marquee game whose 10 second commercial slot can cost up to Rs 40 lakh.
Pakistan also took note of an email from Sri Lanka Cricket to the PCB. In its letter, Sri Lanka Cricket said that the absence of the February 15 marquee match between the arch-rivals would lead to financial losses for SLC and also harm both the organisation and the image of the tournament in the island nation, which is jointly hosting the showpiece with India.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board put forward several demands to the International Cricket Council during Sunday's meeting over Pakistan's stance on boycotting their T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15. The ICC rejected three of those demands, including proposals for the resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan and a tri-series involving Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
The ICC also gave PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi a day to consult Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and confirm the board’s stance. The global governing body is expected to make an official announcement on the status of the India–Pakistan match either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
The meeting, which lasted over five hours on Sunday, was attended by Mohsin Naqvi - who also serves as Pakistan's Interior Minister - and ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja. Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul also travelled to Lahore to be part of the discussions, after Pakistan emerged as the only member nation to vote against Bangladesh's removal from the T20 World Cup following the BCB's refusal to travel to India for its matches.
The Pakistan government, in a February 1 social media post, denied permission for its senior national team to compete against India in the T20 World Cup without providing further details. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later clarified that the decision was taken as a show of support for Bangladesh and accused the ICC of favouritism.
WHAT WERE THOSE 5 DEMANDS?
In total, five demands were placed before the ICC. The treatment of Bangladesh, which Pakistan believes was unfair, has been a central position taken by the PCB in its discussions with the ICC over the past few days.
- No penalty for Bangladesh: Pakistan insisted that Bangladesh should not be penalised for pulling out of the T20 World Cup and must receive its full share of ICC revenue - a position the ICC had already decided on independently.
- Compensatory global event: The ICC was urged to award Bangladesh a compensatory global tournament after last year's Women's T20 World Cup was moved from the country to Dubai due to civil unrest. An Under-19 World Cup in the next cycle was proposed as a possible alternative.
- India-Pakistan bilaterals: Pakistan demanded that the ICC encourage India to resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan. The ICC rejected the request, reiterating that bilateral series fall outside its jurisdiction, even within the framework of the World Test Championship.
- Tri-series and Bangladesh tour: Proposals for an India-Pakistan-Bangladesh tri-series and for India to tour Bangladesh later this year, for a series postponed in 2025, were also turned down. The ICC maintained that it does not have the authority to mandate bilateral or trilateral series.
The ICC has been in dialogue with the PCB since the latter formally wrote to the global governing body outlining the Pakistan government's decision to boycott the February 15 match against India. In its response, the ICC sought clarification from the PCB regarding the invocation of the force majeure clause and urged the board to reconsider its stance.
WILL INDIA TRAVEL TO COLOMBO?
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to issue an official statement, it is reliably learnt that the board is awaiting formal communication from the ICC on the matter.
According to top sources, the Indian team will proceed strictly as per ICC protocol. The side is expected to travel to Sri Lanka as scheduled and carry out its routine pre-match preparations, including training sessions and the mandatory pre-match press conference. India will arrive at the R Premadasa Stadium at the designated time on match day and will wait for the match referee to take a call on calling off the fixture should Pakistan choose not to take the field.
WHAT ABOUT THE LOSSES IF PAKISTAN WITHDRAW?
The India–Pakistan clash remains the most lucrative fixture in global cricket, generating revenue to the tune of Rs 2,200 crore, according to PTI.
To capitalise on that appeal, the ICC have placed the two teams in the same group at every major tournament since 2012, even as worsening diplomatic relations have ruled out bilateral cricket for the last 14 years.
If Pakistan remain adamant, they would risk losing millions in revenues and a no-show would cause significant financial damage to the ICC coffers. The host broadcaster could incur advertisement revenue losses in the range of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for a marquee game whose 10 second commercial slot can cost up to Rs 40 lakh.
Pakistan also took note of an email from Sri Lanka Cricket to the PCB. In its letter, Sri Lanka Cricket said that the absence of the February 15 marquee match between the arch-rivals would lead to financial losses for SLC and also harm both the organisation and the image of the tournament in the island nation, which is jointly hosting the showpiece with India.
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