After ten days of uncertainty, the standoff over Pakistan’s decision not to play India in their scheduled 2026 T20 World Cup group match finally ended on Friday night. In a rush of official statements, both Pakistan and the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that the high-profile India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match will be played on February 15 in Colombo. The India-Pakistan clash is seen as the biggest money-spinner of the tournament. 

The Pakistan government said several ICC member countries, including Sri Lanka and the UAE, had asked the Pakistan Cricket Board not to pull out of the game, warning that a boycott would hurt the finances of other nations as well. The statement also said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the matter with Sri Lankan President Kumara Dissanayake.

The decision follows a briefing by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the outcome of high-level discussions involving the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). 

‘Long may our brotherhood flourish’: Bangladesh expresses profound gratitude for PCB

Last week, the Pakistan government had asked the PCB to skip the Group A match to show support for Bangladesh, who were replaced by Scotland in the tournament after refusing to tour India over safety concerns.

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After Pak’s complete u-turn on their decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council and all others involved for their efforts in dealing with the situation. It said their support and positive role helped in addressing the challenges faced over the past few days.

The BCB gave special thanks to PCB Chairman Mohsin Raza Naqvi, his board members and cricket fans in Pakistan. It said the PCB showed strong sportsmanship and stood firmly with Bangladesh during this period.

BCB President Md Aminul Islam said Bangladesh was touched by the way Pakistan went out of its way to support them, and expressed hope that the close bond between the two countries would continue. He added that after his brief visit to Pakistan and the discussions held there, he had urged Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in the interest of the wider cricket community.

‘No financial, sporting or administrative penalty to be imposed on Bangladesh’: ICC 

The ICC has clarified that Bangladesh will not face any penalty for refusing to play their 2026 T20 World Cup matches in India. The refusal led to Bangladesh being left out of the tournament. The ICC also said that Bangladesh will be given the hosting rights for an ICC event before the 2031 men’s ODI World Cup, which they are set to co-host with India.

“It is agreed that no financial, sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board in relation to the current matter,” the ICC said in a statement. “It is acknowledged that BCB retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), should it choose to do so. This right exists under current ICC regulations and remains intact.”

‘Thank you Shehbaz Sharif’: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Reacting to the development, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake posted on X, saying, “Thank you Prime Minister @CMShehbaz for ensuring the game we all love goes on. Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as planned”.

Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had written to the PCB, urging it to reconsider its boycott of India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. SLC pointed out that not going ahead with the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan match would have a serious impact on Sri Lanka’s economy, according to a PTI report.

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‘No one walks away from a World Cup paycheck’: Social media erupts with reactions

After the announcement, social media was flooded with reactions from fans around the world, with many sharing memes and opinions.

Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle shared his reaction on X, saying, “Pakistan were always going to play. It was clear as daylight. Withdrawal was never even a possibility,”.

“The U-turn was inevitable. No one walks away from a World Cup paycheck. But while the Pakistan government is ‘directing’ its team to the field, can someone ask them to direct the Asia Cup trophy back to its rightful owners?,” one user wrote on X.

“This literally proves who surrendered,” another user commented.

“Millions of Thanks to @TheRealPCB for accepting ICC request and supporting sports otherwise the Political management of ICC 100% tried to finish the game and break the hearts,” another reaction read.