The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now demanded a tri-series involving India and Bangladesh, according to a Cricbuzz report. “The PCB was seeking the restoration of bilateral series with India not just for Pakistan, but also for Bangladesh. What is more, the PCB and the BCB have sought a tri-series involving India and themselves,” a Cricbuzz report read.
ICC, however, rejected it, saying such decisions fall exclusively within the remit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Government of India.
Pakistan had earlier announced that the national side will take part in the T20 World Cup 2026 but will boycott the match against India. “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
The ICC later said, “The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.”
The ICC said that such “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 per the event schedule.” The statement went on to stress the importance of fairness and integrity in ICC tournaments, saying, “ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.
While the ICC acknowledged that governments play a role in national policy, it expressed concern over the wider impact of Pakistan’s stance. “While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the statement read.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif to Have Final Say
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will have the final say on whether Pakistan would go ahead with their boycott of the match against India in T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, Geo News reported on Monday.
Iceland Cricket trolls Pakistan ONCE AGAIN!
The PCB and BCB have demanded a tri-series with India. They should have demanded one with us, because we would have said ‘yes’ and provided a safe operating space on one of our lava fields for the matches. We are not into brinkmanship.
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) February 9, 2026
The Iceland Cricket wrote on X, “The PCB and BCB have demanded a tri-series with India. They should have demanded one with us, because we would have said ‘yes’ and provided a safe operating space on one of our lava fields for the matches. We are not into brinkmanship.”
Also Read: Meet Imran Khwaja — Jay Shah’s Deputy Leading Talks to Resolve IND vs PAK Match Standoff
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