The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put forward three major demands to end its ongoing impasse with the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to NDTV sources. Pakistan had earlier decided to boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 clash against arch-rivals India, despite being warned by the ICC regarding the potential consequences. According to sources, the PCB placed three demands to break the deadlock during a meeting with ICC officials in Lahore on Sunday: (1) increased compensation for Bangladesh, (2) a participation fee for Bangladesh despite its T20 World Cup ouster, and (3) hosting rights for a future ICC event.
Sources also revealed that while some PCB officials are open to playing the match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, board chairman Mohsin Naqvi remains uncooperative on the matter. Naqvi is set to meet with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday to consult him once again before a final decision is reached.
The ICC removed Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup last month following its refusal to travel to India, citing security concerns. Despite the ICC’s assurance that there was no verifiable threat to the team, the BCB maintained its stance, forcing the ICC to replace them with Scotland.
Since then, Pakistan has thrown its weight behind Bangladesh. In addition to the ICC meeting, Naqvi and other PCB officials held a dialogue with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Aminul Islam Bulbul regarding the impasse.
This sudden change in tone follows the ICC’s request for an explanation on how the force majeure clause could justify a refusal to play, especially after the PCB attempted to shift responsibility onto its government.
The controversy began when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), backed by the country’s interim government, refused to send its national team to India for its group-stage games, citing security concerns.
Meanwhile, Pakistan survived a major scare against the Netherlands in the tournament-opener, beating the Dutch by three wickets in Colombo on Saturday.