Islamabad: Pakistan’s decision on Sunday to opt out of its scheduled T20 World Cup group-stage match against India on February 15 has prompted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to begin behind-the-scenes efforts to defuse the situation and prevent major financial fallout, Dawn has learnt.
The announcement was made nearly two weeks before the high-profile fixture, allowing the ICC time to assess alternatives and consider any concerns raised by Pakistan, according to sources.
Sources added that several other cricket boards have also joined the ICC in attempts to broker an understanding with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and avoid escalation.
While Pakistan did not publicly explain the reason for its refusal to play India, there have been past precedents of teams pulling out of World Cup matches on government instructions. During the 1996 World Cup, Australia and the West Indies forfeited matches against Sri Lanka due to security concerns, while England and New Zealand declined to play Zimbabwe and Kenya, respectively, at the 2003 World Cup for political reasons.
Critics have described Pakistan’s move as ill-advised, arguing that unlike earlier cases, no formal justification was cited. However, sources said the PCB has accounted for this and intends to base its stance on proceedings of the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) related to a case Pakistan filed against India in 2018.
That dispute arose after India failed to honour a 2014 memorandum of understanding between the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which committed both sides to six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. In exchange, the PCB had supported the ICC’s ‘Big Three’ revenue-sharing structure, which granted India, Australia and England a greater share of ICC revenues.
During the DRC hearings, the PCB questioned the BCCI over its refusal to tour Pakistan. According to a source familiar with the case, the BCCI initially claimed it was not required to provide a reason, later stating that the Indian government had not granted permission. When the PCB sought written confirmation of these instructions, the BCCI reportedly said such directives were conveyed verbally and not recorded.
Despite this, there is concern that the BCCI’s influence within the ICC could once again lead to an unfavourable ruling for Pakistan, potentially resulting in fines or sanctions. In that scenario, sources said, Pakistan’s government may consider taking the matter to an international arbitration forum.
Pakistan’s stance is also believed to have been influenced by a recent ICC decision involving Bangladesh. The ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request to relocate its World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns and instead removed Bangladesh from the tournament, replacing it with Scotland. The decision passed with a 14-2 majority, with only Pakistan and Bangladesh opposing it.
The India–Pakistan clash is widely regarded as the most commercially valuable fixture in international cricket and a key pillar of the ICC’s revenue framework. Media estimates place its total commercial worth at approximately $500 million, including broadcasting rights, sponsorships, advertising revenue, ticket sales and related commercial activity. Advertising slots during an India–Pakistan T20 match reportedly sell for between Rs2.5 million and Rs4 million per 10 seconds.
Following Pakistan’s announcement, the ICC released a strongly worded statement urging the PCB to seek a solution acceptable to all parties.
“The ICC notes the statement issued by the government of Pakistan regarding its direction to the national team on selective participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026,” the statement said. “While the ICC awaits formal communication from the PCB, selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the core principles of a global tournament.”
The ICC stressed that its events are founded on integrity, fairness, competitiveness and consistency, warning that selective participation undermines the spirit of the competition. While recognising governments’ roles in national policy decisions, the ICC cautioned that such a move is “not in the interest of the global game or the millions of fans worldwide, including in Pakistan”.
Reports suggest that even if Pakistan maintains its position, the Indian team will travel to Colombo for the scheduled match. Should Pakistan fail to field a team at the appointed time, India is expected to be awarded the points under tournament rules.