T20 World Cup 2026: India-Pakistan match to go ahead? ICC-PCB in back-channel talks - Report

It has been a turbulent last few days for the cricket fraternity and its core members after the Pakistan government officially announced its boycott of the T20 World Cup clash. The announcement came on Sunday (Feb 1) when Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. However, there could be a U-turn in the events with the International Cricket Council (ICC) in back-channel talks with the PCB.

Will India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match go ahead?

According to a prominent cricket website, Espncricinfo, though the PCB has not publicly commented on the boycott of the group match against India, the ICC responded to the decision - originally conveyed by the Government of Pakistan on its 'X' account - saying it expected the PCB to "explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders."

That resolution has been the subject of calls and meetings between Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, and Mubashir Usmani of the Emirates Cricket Board, who is also on the ICC Board. They have been in communication with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Salman Naseer, who is the PSL head but also a senior advisor to Naqvi.

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What is the latest development?

If everything goes right and the Pakistan government gives its go-ahead, the match could take place on Feb 15 in Colombo. Currently, no official communication has been made by the PCB to the ICC regarding their boycott of the high-octane contest. Cricket Sri Lanka (CSL), on the other hand have requested PCB to reconsider their government’s decision and play in the World Cup match.

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Since the announcement of the boycott, however, contact from the ICC has focused on addressing PCB's grievances so that the game goes ahead. Khwaja has stepped in as a mediator in other recent disputes involving the PCB, BCCI and the ICC.