Senior officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are due to meet in Lahore on Sunday as Pakistan weighs a government-backed boycott of its T20 World Cup group match against India next week.
The talks come after Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament following a dispute over venues, setting off a broader political and commercial standoff around cricket’s most lucrative fixture.
Lahore talks as Pakistan threatens to boycott India match
The ICC delegation is expected to include deputy chair Imran Khawaja and executive committee member Mubashar Usmani for discussions with PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Ameenul Islam is also set to attend the meeting. Pakistan is scheduled to play India on 15 February.
Pakistan’s government has said the national team will not take the field for that match, framing the move as solidarity with Bangladesh. Al Jazeera reported earlier this month that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the decision was taken to “support” Bangladesh.
Under ICC playing conditions, a refusal to play would result in a forfeiture, with Pakistan losing the points available from the group match.
Bangladesh exit from tournament after venue dispute
The crisis began after Bangladesh requested that its T20 World Cup matches be moved away from India, citing heightened political tensions. The ICC rejected that request, and Bangladesh then pulled out of the competition.
Al Jazeera reported on 24 January that Scotland replaced Bangladesh in the tournament following the withdrawal.
The Pakistan government’s boycott threat added a new layer to the tournament’s opening week, with the India-Pakistan match a central component of global broadcast schedules and commercial planning.
Financial and rights implications for ICC and boards
An India-Pakistan match is widely viewed as the sport’s biggest single-event revenue driver, and the absence of the fixture could trigger disputes over broadcast and sponsorship commitments tied to the current tournament.
Industry outlet SportsPro has reported that major ICC media-rights agreements in key markets run through 2027, meaning prolonged uncertainty could complicate negotiations and renewals around the next cycle.
The ICC has not publicly outlined any contingency plan if Pakistan follows through on the boycott, and no joint statement had been issued ahead of the scheduled Lahore meeting.
Pakistan and India are set to continue their group-stage schedules in the coming days, with the status of the 15 February match dependent on the outcome of talks between the ICC, the PCB and Pakistan’s government.