Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly made a desperate plea to Bangladesh in order to find their way out of a ‘mess’ created due to their threat to boycott the IND vs PAK game in the T20 World Cup 2026. After weeks of maintaining suspense and issuing multiple threats over the high-octane clash, the country’s government finally decided on Monday to direct its players to take the field on February 15. This came after the ICC held a meeting with the PCB and the BCB chairman where the issue was resolved.
Pakistan wanted Bangladesh to make formal appeal
As per news agency PTI, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi reportedly invited Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman Animul Islam to Pakistan to make a formal appeal to Pakistan to play the T20 World Cup clash against India. The reports quotes a source claiming that the appeal was Pakistan’s way of wriggling themselves out of a mess. Pakistan had initially considered boycotting the entire tournament but did a U-turn after they were warned about sanctions, financial penalties and legal hurdles that they could face by the ICC on skipping the event.
“Bulbul was called by Naqvi to request that he issues a formal appeal to Pakistan to play the game (against India) and that was a respectable way of wriggling out of the mess,” a source aware of the development said.
Pakistan to play India on February 15
Following the meeting with ICC, the Government of Pakistan has directed its players to take the field against India on February 15 in Colombo. Taking to social media platform X, the Government of Pakistan said that the country’s PM Shehbaz Sharif had been briefed by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on the outcome of the high-level meeting with the ICC, following which the directive to the team was issued. It took letters from Sri Lanka Cricket, United Emirates Cricket Board and multiple ICC meetings for Pakistan to finally agree not not boycot the clash against India.
“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan 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,” the social media post of Government of Pakistan read.
Cricket
ICC concedes to PCB-BCB alliance as Bangladesh get away without sanctions to salvage IND vs PAK match
