The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday expressed hope that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would work towards a “mutually acceptable resolution” after the government denied permission to the national side for a match against India in T20 World Cup 2026.
In a statement, the cricket governing body noted the government’s statement, in which it said that Pakistan would play the tournament but skip their game against India.
“While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of 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 ICC said.
The cricket-governing body added that such “selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions” built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness.
The ICC said that it respected the roles of governments in matters of national policy, however, it added that the decision was not “in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan”.
“The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of,” the ICC stated.
The cricket-governing body asserted that its priority remained the successful delivery of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, saying it should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB.
The statement follows Pakistan’s announcement that its team would participate in the tournament but would boycott the match against arch-rival India.
The decision came following a meeting between PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” the government said in a post on X.
“…however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
