After Bangladesh was removed from the T20 World Cup over refusing to play in India (the co-host nation), Pakistan has entered a tussle with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over a boycott.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had first threatened to withdraw from the tournament at the last minute, but then decided to only boycott the India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for February 15, 2026.
The ICC had warned them of severe consequences, after which a meeting took place between PCB officials and representatives from the apex cricket body.
Now, according to a report by NDTV, Pakistan is open to play India in the tournament, but has placed three demands that must be met for the match to take place.
Pakistan’s Demands To ICC
Interestingly, Pakistan has, per the said report, asked the ICC to increase Bangladesh’s financial share, stating that it is critical to strengthening facilities, nurturing emerging players and raising the overall competitiveness of the national side.
They also maintain that significant investment goes into tournament preparation, making a guaranteed level of financial return necessary, so their second demand is a T20 World Cup 2026 participation fee for Bangladesh.
PCB’s third demand is future ICC event hosting rights for Bangladesh. The board is confident the nation possesses both the infrastructure and public backing required to host a high-profile international tournament successfully.
PCB Chief Opposes IND vs PAK
The NDTV report also states that while sections of the PCB are willing to go ahead with the IND vs PAK T20 World Cup match, the board’s chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, continues to resist.
Naqvi is scheduled to hold further consultations with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, February 9, 2026, before any final call is made.
Separately, Naqvi and senior PCB figures have also engaged in discussions with Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul as efforts continue to resolve the deadlock.
