LAHORE — Officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) convened at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday in a high-stakes effort to salvage the marquee India-Pakistan clash of the T20 World Cup 2026.
ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja and BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul arrived in Lahore to hold critical discussions with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi amid rising tensions over Pakistan’s government-backed decision to boycott the February 15 fixture in Colombo. Islamabad cited solidarity with Bangladesh after Dhaka was barred from participating due to demands for neutral venues over security concerns in India.
With the T20 World Cup already underway in Sri Lanka and India, cricket’s most lucrative fixture hangs in the balance. The Lahore talks mark an urgent push to bridge differences and address Pakistan’s selective boycott.
Sources said discussions will cover the immediate World Cup standoff, bilateral cricket ties, future Pakistan-Bangladesh series, and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two boards. BCB President Bulbul also expressed gratitude to Pakistan for its support.
Present at the meeting were PCB CEO Salman Naseer and Advisor to the Chairman Amir Mir, highlighting the high-level nature of the deliberations.
