PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi will once again meet with Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the boycott of the IND vs PAK game at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The Pakistan government had announced a boycott of the February 15 game last week in solidarity with Bangladesh's ouster from the tournament.
Now, PCB and ICC have held talks on a potential U-turn. Pakistan were warned of consequences of a boycott including financial penalties the board would face. They in turn have made a series of demands for them to backtrack their stance on the boycott. A final decision will be taken after Naqvi meets with Sharif on Monday.
As per Telecom Asia, Pakistan have requested for a greater share in ICC revenue for them to take the field for the IND vs PAK game. Furthermore, Naqvi has demanded re-instating the pre-game handshake protocol. Furthermore, PCB have demanded a resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan.
The last time the two arch rivals played bilateral cricket was in 2012. BCB chief Aminul Islam, who also attended the meeting, also requested for compensation for Bangladesh's exit from the T20 World Cup 2026.
Naqvi had met PM Shehbaz Sharif before a decision to boycott the IND vs PAK game was announced. PCB had since invoked a force majeure clause, the legitimacy of which was questioned by ICC. ICC also threatened further sanctions including hefty fines and potential withholding of ICC revenue worth nearly $35million.
A U-turn is expected as per reports, but that would again have to come from the Pakistan government.
