Pakistan will play India in the ICC T20 World Cup on Sunday, February 15th, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after reversing a government-backed decision to boycott the match. The reversal came after intensive negotiations with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Sri Lankan government, according to a statement released by the Pakistani government on Monday evening.
The initial decision to boycott stemmed from Islamabad’s solidarity with Bangladesh, which was expelled from the tournament after its request to play matches outside of India was denied by the ICC. Bangladesh had cited security concerns as the reason for its request. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had initially directed the team to forfeit the match against India as a demonstration of support for Bangladesh.
The potential loss of the India-Pakistan match, a fixture central to the ICC’s broadcast deals, prompted swift intervention from the ICC. The match is considered one of the most-watched sporting events globally. Concerns were raised about the long-term consequences for cricket’s financial stability, particularly the impact on revenue distribution to smaller cricketing nations, should the game not proceed. The ICC’s current broadcast rights deals, worth an estimated £2.2bn ($3bn), were too at risk.
Negotiations involving the ICC, the Pakistan Cricket Board, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board took place in Lahore. Sri Lanka, as a co-host of the tournament, also played a key role in brokering a resolution. As part of the agreement, Bangladesh will not face censure for its withdrawal and has been granted hosting rights for a future ICC tournament.
The Pakistani government stated that its decision to allow the team to play was “taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.” The match will proceed despite ongoing political tensions between the two countries, and handshakes and gestures between players are expected to be closely scrutinized.
Sunday’s match will be the first meeting between India and Pakistan since India won the 2025 Asia Cup final by five wickets. The game is scheduled to begin at 7pm local time (13:30 GMT), with buildup coverage on Al Jazeera Sport starting at 9:30 GMT.
