Islamabad, February 10: The Pakistan government has granted permission for the men’s cricket team to play their scheduled match against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This highly anticipated match is set to take place on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Notably, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had requested the ICC to shift their match against India to a different venue. However, the ICC rejected this appeal, leading to Scotland being included in the T20 World Cup 2026 in place of Bangladesh.
Initially, the Pakistan government advised the team not to play against India to show support for Bangladesh. However, following a firm stance from the ICC regarding Pakistan’s threat to boycott the match, and requests from both the BCB and the Sri Lankan government for Pakistan to reconsider its decision, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now permitted the men’s team to proceed with the match.
The Pakistan government stated that it allowed the team to play on February 15 due to the requests from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
In a statement, the government said, “The Pakistan government has reviewed formal requests sent by the Bangladesh Cricket Board to the PCB, along with supportive messages from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member countries. These messages called for Pakistan’s leadership in finding a solution to recent challenges. The government also took into account the statement from BCB President Aminul Islam, warmly accepting the deep gratitude expressed by our brotherly nation. Pakistan confirms that it stands shoulder to shoulder with Bangladesh.”
The statement further noted, “On Sunday evening, the Prime Minister spoke on the phone with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have always stood together, especially in challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to seriously consider resolving the current impasse amicably.”
On Monday night, a statement from the Pakistan government confirmed, “In light of the outcomes of multilateral discussions and requests from friendly nations, the Pakistan government directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field for their scheduled match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on February 15, 2026.”
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