Our Bureau
Lahore
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to approach Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week to seek approval for Pakistan’s participation in the marquee India–Pakistan T20 World Cup fixture, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board urged Islamabad to drop its boycott stance, a PCB source has revealed. The high‑voltage clash is scheduled for February 15 in Colombo and its fate now rests with the Pakistani government rather than the board alone.
Naqvi is set to brief Sharif on a series of diplomatic and administrative discussions he has held with the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Emirates cricket boards, as well as with an International Cricket Council delegation led by ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja. According to the PCB insider, Bangladesh President Amin ul Islam, while in Lahore for Sunday’s talks, publicly appreciated Pakistan’s solidarity over Dhaka’s own World Cup‑related dispute with India, but privately asked Naqvi to reconsider the boycott of the India game. Sri Lanka and the Emirates board have similarly urged Pakistan to review its decision, citing the broader commercial and sporting implications of a no‑show.
The source said Naqvi is likely to recommend that Sharif permit the team to take the field against India, arguing that continued isolation risks alienating key stakeholders in world cricket and undermining Pakistan’s leverage in future negotiations. However, the final call remains with the Prime Minister, and the PCB has indicated it will abide by whatever decision is taken. The episode underscores how bilateral political tensions continue to spill into the sport’s biggest global events, even as fans and broadcasters brace for one of the most anticipated fixtures in the T20 World Cup calendar.
As per latest reports, Pakistan has withdrawn its boycott of the India clash at the 2026 T20 World Cup, allowing the marquee group‑stage fixture in Colombo on February 15 to go ahead as scheduled, after days of political tension and uncertainty. The Pakistan government reversed its earlier directive following multilateral talks involving the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), citing the need to protect the spirit of cricket and the continuity of the global tournament. Behind the scenes, the massive commercial value of an India–Pakistan World Cup game, especially for broadcasters and the ICC’s revenue, played a key role in pushing all parties toward a compromise.
