Pakistan government announces decision to play T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 after talks with ICC and cricket boards.
The government said on Monday that Pakistan will play the T20 World Cup match against India. This match is planned for February 15.
The decision was made fot T20 World Cup after a team from the International Cricket Council came to Pakistan over the weekend. They met with Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. They talked about Pakistan playing the match against India. This decision also came after Sri Lanka asked Pakistan to play the match.
In a message shared on X Over T20 World Cup, the government said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was fully informed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. He was told about the results of important meetings. These meetings were held between the PCB, ICC officials, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
The government said it looked at official requests sent to the PCB by Bangladesh. It also read messages of support from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries. These messages asked Pakistan to help find a good solution to recent problems.
The government also mentioned a statement by Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam. It said that Bangladesh showed deep thanks to Pakistan. Pakistan said it stands with Bangladesh as a close and friendly country.
The government also shared that Prime Minister Shehbaz received a phone call from Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake earlier that day.
During their friendly talk, both leaders remembered that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have always supported each other, especially in hard times. The Sri Lankan president asked the prime minister to think seriously about solving the issue in a peaceful way.
The government said that after talks with many countries and friendly requests, Pakistan has decided to play the match. The Pakistan cricket team is directed to play on February 15, 2026, in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The government said this decision was taken to protect the spirit of cricket. It also wants to support the game so it continues in all countries taking part.
The government said that the prime minister and the people of Pakistan send their best wishes to the Men in Green. They believe the team will show good sports behavior and national pride while playing for the world title.
Reacting to the message, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the game is on.
He said the whole nation supports the Men in Green. He called it a great decision by Prime Minister Shehbaz and praised the good efforts of the PCB chairman.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also thanked the prime minister. He said he was happy that the cricket match everyone loves will go ahead.
He said he was pleased that the Pakistan and India match in the T20 World Cup in Colombo will be played as planned. As a co host, Sri Lanka thanked the ICC and all others for their help.
He also said that Sri Lanka remembers how India and Pakistan supported them during the 1996 World Cup. At that time, they played matches in Colombo even when others did not come because of safety worries.
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Sri Lanka urges Pakistan to play match
Earlier, Sri Lankan President Dissanayake asked Pakistan to play the T20 World Cup match against India. He made this request during a phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
He said that Pakistan supported Sri Lankan cricket during times of terrorism in Sri Lanka.
He said Pakistan always gave importance to its long friendship with Sri Lanka. Even during terrorism, the Pakistan cricket team kept visiting Sri Lanka to play matches.
Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed these kind words. He said Sri Lanka also stood with Pakistan during difficult times and helped keep cricket alive in Pakistan.
He also said that recently the Sri Lankan team took a memorable step by not cancelling their tour of Pakistan. This made Pakistani people and cricket fans very happy.
According to the statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz said he would tell the Sri Lankan president the final decision about the Pakistan India match after discussions.
At the same time, Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam also asked Pakistan to play the match against India. In a statement shared by PTV, Bangladesh thanked the PCB and ICC for their positive role in solving problems.
He especially thanked the PCB chairman and the cricket fans of Pakistan for their support.
The statement said that during this time, the PCB showed great sports spirit and unity.
Quoting President Aminul Islam, the statement said that Bangladesh was deeply touched by Pakistan’s strong support. He said he hoped the friendship between the two countries would grow stronger.
He added that after his short visit to Pakistan and after talks, he requested Pakistan to play the T20 World Cup match on February 15 against India. He said this would be good for all of cricket.
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No penalty on Bangladesh for opting out of World Cup: ICC
The ICC said it will not punish Bangladesh for not taking part in the T20 World Cup. It also agreed that Bangladesh will host an ICC event before the 2031 World Cup.
In a statement, the ICC said it had open and friendly talks with PCB and BCB officials. The talks were not only about the tournament in India but also about the future of cricket in South Asia.
The ICC said that even though Bangladesh could not take part in the T20 World Cup, it is still an important full member. Bangladesh has a proud cricket history and plays an important role in world cricket.
The statement said the ICC will keep helping cricket grow in Bangladesh. It mentioned that the country has more than 200 million cricket fans. The ICC wants to make sure this situation does not harm cricket in Bangladesh in the long run.
The ICC said the talks showed positive thinking and honest agreement Over T20 World Cup. The aim was to clearly explain the current position of all sides.
It added that these decisions do not change the ICC rules or decision system. All ICC rules will continue to apply.
The ICC also said that no money, sports, or office related punishment will be given to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
It said that Bangladesh still has the right to go to the dispute committee if it wants. This right is part of ICC rules and remains safe.
The statement said the ICC followed fairness and neutrality. The goal was to support cricket, not to punish anyone.
It was also agreed that Bangladesh will host an ICC event before the Men’s Cricket T20 World Cup in 2031. This will happen under normal ICC rules and planning.
The ICC said this shows trust in Bangladesh’s ability to host events. It also shows the ICC’s promise to give hosting chances to its members so cricket can grow.
The statement added that the ICC, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other members will keep talking and working together for the good of cricket.
It said everyone agrees that the goal is to protect the honesty of the game and keep unity among cricket nations.
ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta said that Bangladesh missing the T20 World Cup was sad. However, it does not change the ICC’s strong support for Bangladesh.
He said the ICC will keep working closely with Bangladesh. The focus is to help cricket grow well and give better chances to players and fans.
He added that Bangladesh is an important cricket country. It deserves long term support and should not be judged by short term problems.
Earlier this month, the government had allowed Pakistan to take part in the T20 World Cup 2026. However, it had said Pakistan would not play the match against India in Colombo.
This decision came after Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the tournament. Bangladesh had refused to tour India because of safety concerns and political problems.
Later, Sri Lanka’s cricket board asked Pakistan to think again. Sri Lanka Cricket told the PCB that a boycott would cause money loss and harm tourism, which is still recovering from economic problems.
It is important to note that Pakistan and India have not played regular cricket series for more than ten years. They only play against each other in world or regional tournaments T20 World Cup.
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