IND vs PAK: PCB's revenue, handshake demands rejected by ICC as T20 World Cup 2026 standoff deepens

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) demands aimed at ending the proposed boycott of the India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The high-profile match is scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. However, uncertainty surrounds the fixture after the Pakistan government announced it would not allow its players to participate.

A meeting was recently held in Lahore between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, an ICC delegation led by Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam at Gaddafi Stadium. During the meeting, the PCB reportedly placed three demands before the ICC to reconsider the boycott.

According to reports, the PCB demanded that India be asked to resume bilateral cricket with Pakistan, that a tri-series involving India, Pakistan and Bangladesh be organised, and that India tour Bangladesh later this year.

However, the ICC is said to have rejected all three demands, stating that such matters fall outside its jurisdiction.

The ICC clarified that bilateral cricket series are governed by the Future Tours Programme (FTP), under which the ICC only provides a broad framework. The actual scheduling and execution of bilateral series are decided by the respective cricket boards, taking into account commercial factors, broadcast rights, player workload and logistical considerations.

India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket for several years due to political reasons, not cricketing ones. As a result, the ICC does not have the authority to unilaterally resume bilateral ties between the two nations. Any such decision would require approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well as the Indian government.