ICC, BCB officials meet Naqvi in Lahore over Pakistan–India T20 World Cup row

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam and a delegation from the International Cricket Council (ICC), including Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja, at Qaddafi Stadium on Sunday to discuss the Pakistan–India T20 World Cup row.

According to a PCB statement, Naqvi welcomed Islam and Khawaja upon their arrival. During the meeting, officials discussed the ongoing T20 World Cup situation involving Pakistan and India. “BCB President Aminul Islam thanked Pakistan for its support,” the statement added.

Also present at the meeting were Pakistan Super League (PSL) Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer and Adviser to the PCB Chairman Amir Mir.

The development comes after the Pakistan decided that the national team would not take the field for its scheduled match against India on February 15. Pakistan will, however, compete in the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Any clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India is one of the most lucrative in cricket, worth millions of dollars in broadcast, sponsorship and advertising revenue. But the fixture was thrown into doubt after the federal government ordered the team not to play the match in Colombo.

Earlier in the day, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja arrived in Lahore and was received at the airport by Adviser to the PCB Chairman Amir Mir.

“During his visit, Khawaja is scheduled to meet Chairman Mohsin Naqvi,” PCB said.

BCB President Aminul Islam landed at Lahore airport, where PCB Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer welcomed him. “We warmly welcome our esteemed guest to Pakistan,” the PCB said.

According to the PCB, Aminul Islam will meet Chairman Naqvi and will also attend meetings during his visit.

The T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, is now facing renewed uncertainty as political considerations intersect with cricketing commitments. A Pakistan–India clash is traditionally the tournament’s biggest commercial draw, and Pakistan’s refusal could force the ICC to revisit scheduling or points-allocation scenarios.

Despite opting out of the India match, Pakistan’s participation in the rest of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 signals a calibrated approach rather than a full boycott, following days of speculation linked to the Bangladesh issue and regional tensions.

The ICC has called on the PCB to find a mutually acceptable solution after Pakistan announced it would boycott its match against India in the main event.

Read More: PCB ‘categorically rejects’ Indian journalist’s claim of approaching ICC on T20 World Cup row

In a statement, the ICC said that selective participation “is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event” where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms according to the tournament schedule. The council also noted that it is still awaiting official communication from the PCB.

“ICC tournaments are built on the principles of sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness,” the statement said, adding that selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of international competitions.

A day earlier, PCB categorically rejected claims by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta that the board had approached the ICC over the situation around the match between the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams.

Gupta claimed in a post on X today: “PCB has now reached out to ICC for a dialogue on the India-Pakistan World Cup after the ICC replied to their official communication”.

Responding to him, PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said, “I categorically reject the claim by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta that PCB approached the ICC. As usual, sections of the Indian media are busy circulating fiction. A little patience and time will clearly show who actually went knocking and who didn’t”.

The absence of Bangladesh from the tournament has already cast a shadow over the event. Bangladesh were removed from the T20 World Cup 2026 and replaced by Scotland, a decision that drew criticism from several quarters, including Pakistan, over what was described as inconsistent treatment by the ICC.

Bangladesh’s replacement — following disputes related to hosting arrangements, security concerns and scheduling under the hybrid model involving India and Sri Lanka — intensified debate over governance and fairness in international cricket, with Pakistan earlier expressing solidarity with Bangladesh during the row.