ICC meeting with Pak done, Shehbaz Sharif to decide on India match
Pakistan are expected to clarify their stance on boycotting the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India within 24 hours. The decision follows a key ICC meeting in Lahore as pressure mounts to resolve the tournament's biggest controversy.
The Pakistan Cricket Board is reportedly set to clarify its stance on the proposed boycott of its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India within the next 24 hours, following a marathon meeting with senior ICC officials in Lahore. With the mega India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup group-stage match on February 15 just around the corner, the issue has quickly turned into one of the biggest talking points in world cricket.
The discussions took place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and stretched beyond five hours, involving PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja, and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam. The urgency is obvious, with the ICC keen to avoid a situation where the tournament’s most high-profile fixture is left hanging in uncertainty.
According to reports, the PCB is now expected to consult Pakistan’s federal government before taking a final call. Officials believe the next 24 hours could prove decisive, as the board weighs both political direction and the wider consequences of stepping away from cricket’s most watched rivalry. Naqvi is also likely to address a press conference today, with clarity expected soon after.
What was the ICC-PCB meeting about?
At the heart of the Lahore meeting was Pakistan’s decision to skip its scheduled group match against India on February 15 in Colombo. The boycott announcement, made on February 2 with the World Cup less than a week away, escalated tensions and forced the ICC into urgent negotiations.
Bangladesh’s presence in the talks added another layer. BCB President, Aminul Islam, had landed in Lahore just hours before the meeting, signalling that Bangladesh and Pakistan have found common ground as the ICC works to broker a compromise. Sources told India Today that both boards have aligned their positions during these discussions.
The ICC’s primary focus has been to prevent the situation from spiralling into a full-blown crisis, one that could impact scheduling, governance, and the commercial structure of the tournament.
Naqvi, meanwhile, is set to brief Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matters discussed, underlining just how significant the decision has become beyond cricket alone.
Why does ICC want an IND vs PAK match at T20 World Cup?
Simply put, no fixture in cricket comes close to India vs Pakistan in terms of global attention and financial value. It is the sport’s biggest revenue driver, powering broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, advertising interest, and worldwide viewership.
Broadcasters pay a premium largely because marquee games like this are guaranteed audience magnets. If Pakistan were to withdraw, the ICC’s broadcast package would immediately lose value, creating a knock-on effect across the tournament’s finances.
The effect will stretch out in problematic extent, as reduced revenues would eventually affect annual payouts to member boards, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even India.
With the clock ticking and the World Cup already underway, the next 24 hours could shape whether cricket’s fiercest rivalry takes centre stage or becomes the biggest absentee of the tournament.
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