BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has lauded the International Cricket Council (ICC) for “finding an amicable solution” that cleared the way for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to go ahead as scheduled, after the Pakistan government on Monday reversed its earlier decision to boycott the match.
The uncertainty stemmed from a decision taken by the Shehbaz Sharif-led government a couple of weeks ago, when Pakistan announced it would not allow its senior men’s team to play India. That stance was formally reversed on Monday night, with the Pakistan government confirming that the February 15 fixture in Colombo will be played.
“I am delighted to see the outcome of the deliberations initiated by the ICC representative, supervised by the ICC chairman, and then the representatives who had gone to Lahore to talk to the Pakistan Cricket Board, as well as the Bangladesh Cricket Board. It’s a good solution, an amicable solution which has been found to give priority to the importance of cricket to the game,” Shukla told reporters on Tuesday.
“So all kudos to ICC for taking this initiative, resolving the whole issue and bringing cricket back to the forefront. So this is a big achievement as far as ICC is concerned. I would like to thank ICC for taking this initiative and bringing Pakistan to the table and then, ultimately, deciding for Pakistan to play in the Colombo match. It’s good news for all of us, and the scheduled match for Feb 15 in Colombo will take place, and Pakistan will also play. So now this World Cup will also be a big success story,” he added.
The Pakistan government, in its statement on Monday night, said the decision was taken following extensive diplomatic engagement and consultations with other cricket boards and friendly nations.
“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby 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. Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” the statement read.
The breakthrough followed marathon negotiations overseen by ICC chair Jay Shah, who deputed deputy chair Imran Khwaja and UAE Cricket Board chairman Mubashir Usmani to engage with the Pakistan Cricket Board and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi. While Khwaja held in-person talks in Lahore, Usmani coordinated discussions from London, with Shah monitoring developments from India. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta and PCB CEO Salman Naseer were also part of the prolonged deliberations.
The Pakistan government acknowledged the role played by several member nations, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the UAE, in pushing for a resolution.
“The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges,” the statement said.
It also confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held direct talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as part of the process.
“This evening, the Prime Minister held a telephone call with H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse,” the government added.
In the aftermath of the resolution, the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed that Bangladesh will not face any financial, sporting or administrative penalties for missing the tournament, and will instead be given the opportunity to host an ICC event ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031, subject to standard hosting processes.
Shukla said the outcome addressed Bangladesh’s concerns as well. “Another important aspect is that Bangladesh’s feelings have also been assessed as far as these negotiations are concerned, and some relief has been given to their board also, and they are also happy,” he said.
“In fact, they have praised ICC for their efforts. So it’s a win-win situation for everybody, and I am happy that, you know, the match will take place and the World Cup will be a successful event,” he concluded.