The Pakistan Cricket Board has been holding various meetings and is set to decide its stance on playing the match against India in the next 24 hours, according to the latest reports. Notably, the Pakistan government had earlier notified that the national cricket team would not be participating in the match against India, but since then there have been reports stating that the ICC and PCB have been holding meetings to get the match back on track.
As per a report by Pakistan-based Geo News, the PCB is set to consult the government for guidance on the proposed boycott, and a breakthrough is expected within 24 hours. The development came after reportedly negotiations were held between the PCB, ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, which concluded after a meeting lasting more than five hours.
The report states that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja and BCB President Aminul Islam at the Gaddafi Stadium to discuss the boycott against India.
The ICC is also said to have reacted positively to Bangladesh’s demands and even prepared a formula to address the grievances with the BCB. Both the ICC and BCB are said to have exchanged proposals, while the PCB is reported to have acted as the main coordinator.
The report notes that Naqvi is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next two days to seek guidance regarding the match. Sharif is said to take the final call on Pakistan playing the match.
What had Pakistan said about the India boycott?
Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif had earlier categorically stated that the national team would not be participating in the contest against India as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh. Notably, Bangladesh were earlier ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026 after refusing to participate in their matches against India due to perceived security threats.
The ICC had rebuffed those threats, and when Bangladesh refused to come to India for the clashes, they were replaced by Scotland.
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif said during a cabinet meeting last week.
“We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision,” he added.
Since then, reports have suggested that the ICC had appointed Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja to hold back-channel talks to get the marquee clash back on track. The India–Pakistan clash is among the most-watched rivalries in the world of sports, and its cancellation would lead to massive revenue losses for broadcasters and other stakeholders.
