Home Sports Cricket From Boycott to U-Turn: Understanding Pakistan’s 9 Days of Cricket Chaos
From Boycott to U-Turn: Understanding Pakistan’s 9 Days of Cricket Chaos
On 1 February, Pakistan announced a boycott. On 9 February, it was revoked. Here's what happened in between.
Shuvaditya Bose
Cricket
Published:
i
T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan have reversed their decision to boycott the fixture against India.
(Photo: X)
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Had John Reed been writing on cricket, he could have penned: Nine Days that Shook the (Cricket) World. Except, the outcome of this was not a revolutionary change, but a return to normalcy.
At 7:57 PM on 1 February, the Government of Pakistan announced a sensational decision. They instructed their team to not take the field in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India, which is scheduled to be held on 15 February in Sri Lanka’s Colombo. At 11:36 PM on 9 February, they announced that the decision stands revoked, and they will, indeed, participate in that fixture.
What happened in these nine days of chaos? Let’s approach this in a chronological sequence.
The saga began with Bangladesh, and accordingly, for contextualisation, one must revisit that chapter. Bangladesh decided not to travel to India over ‘security concerns,’ and urged the ICC to organise their matches in Sri Lanka instead. This decision was widely seen as a retaliatory reaction in the immediate aftermath of BCCI’s decision to not allow Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman compete in the IPL, in lieu of the protests against his participation.
Considering the logistical challenges of a relocation at such a short notice, however, the ICC were left with no other option but to provide Bangladesh with an ultimatum — either they have to play their matches in India, or risk being replaced. BCB chose the latter, and they were duly replaced by Scotland.
Pakistan, who also were the only nation to vote in favour of Bangladesh at an ICC meeting, when 14 nations voted against them, termed the decision as ‘double standards’ by the ICC. Notably, throughout this entire sequence of events, key figures in Pakistan, including PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and captain Salman Ali Agha, have referred to Bangladeshis as ‘brothers.’
But Pakistan’s case bore no resemblance to that of Bangladesh. They could not cite security concerns, for their matches were entirely held in Colombo. Moreover, they had already signed the Members Participation Agreement (MPA), and a selective boycott would have meant a breach of the contractual obligations.
There is, though, a way of bypassing contractual obligations — by triggering Force Majeure. The PCB notified the ICC about opting for the same, in response to which, the apex cricket governing body asked for justification pertaining to the grounds of a Force Majeure, and also wanted information on what mitigation measures were taken by the PCB.
What also worked against Pakistan was other boards urging them to compete in that fixture, considering the significant financials at stake. Reportedly, a single India-Pakistan clash is valued at roughly $200 million.
The Sri Lanka Angle
Sri Lanka Cricket’s president Shammi Silva requested PCB to revoke their boycott stance. It is to be noted here that Pakistan’s relationship with Sri Lanka has only strengthened over the last few months, owing to the series of November 2025. A suicide bombing incident in Islamabad resulted in 13 deaths while the Sri Lankan players were in Pakistan, and understandably, they requested their board to call the series off. SLC, however, instructed the team to complete the series after PCB’s safety assurances.
Except Sri Lanka, the likes of England and the United Arab Emirates had also written to Pakistan.
Amid all of this, a tripartite meeting was held in Lahore on 8 February, involving the ICC (represented by Imran Khwaja), the PCB (represented by Mohsin Naqvi) and the BCB (represented by Aminul Islam Bulbul).
The ICC took a couple of decisions in favour of Bangladesh.
1. There will be no sporting, financial or administrative penalty imposed on Bangladesh for their non-participation at the T20 World Cup.
2. They will host an ICC event between 2028 to 2031, before the 2031 ODI World Cup, which they are the co-hosts of.
Bangladesh’s absence from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is regrettable, but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation. Our focus continues to be on working closely with key stakeholders including BCB to ensure the sport grows sustainably in the country and that future opportunities for its players and fans are strengthened. Bangladesh remains a priority cricket ecosystem deserving of long-term investment in its development, competitiveness and global integration, and is not defined by short-term disruptions.
BCB’s Bulbul, with the decisions ensuring Bangladesh cricket is not severely impacted by missing out on the ongoing T20 World Cup, requested the PCB to considering changing their stance on the boycott.
We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish. Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket eco system.
BCB Chief Aminul Islam Bulbul
Finally, the U-Turn
Eventually, a day later, Pakistan announced the reversal of their boycott stance.
The Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shehbaz Sharif has been formally briefed by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges. The Government further noted the statement by BCB President, Mr. Amin ul Islam. The profound gratitude expressed by our brotherly nation is received with great warmth. Pakistan reaffirms that it stands shoulder to shoulder with Bangladesh. This evening, the Prime Minister held a telephone call with H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse. In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations. The Prime Minister and the people of Pakistan extend their best wishes to the "Men in Green." We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory.
Government of Pakistan
The ICC noted:
The dialogue between ICC and PCB took place as part of a broader engagement with both parties recognising the need for constructive dealings and being united, committed and purposeful in their aspirations to serve the best interests of the game with integrity, neutrality and cooperation. In that prevailing spirit, it was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a success.
ICC
The decision has since received positive feedback, from both ICC and member nations.
Thank you Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ensuring the game we all love goes on. Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as planned. As co-host of the tournament, Sri Lanka thanks the ICC and all concerned for their efforts. Sri Lanka hasn’t forgotten the solidarity shown by both India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup, when they played in Colombo at a time when others refrained due to security concerns.
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Ultimately, there are no outright losers from this saga. Indeed, one could hint at Bangladesh, who ironically urged PCB to ensure their decisions were taken for the benefit for cricketing ecosystem, when their own ecosystem could have been hampered by the non-participation. But with ICC's decisions working in their favour, their worries now stand alleviated. The global body has, with great dexterity, wriggled out of a precarious position.
