India-Pakistan to go ahead as government ends boycott request

Pakistan's fixture against India at the T20 World Cup is set to go ahead as scheduled on Sunday after the Pakistan government ended its order for a boycott.

The match, the biggest and most lucrative in cricket which is due to be played in Sri Lanka, has been in doubt since the government in Islamabad advised its team not to take the field against their long-time rivals last week.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that decision was made to "support" Bangladesh, who had a request for their matches to be moved out of India rejected. They subsequently pulled out of the tournament.

But, after a week-long stand-off and statements from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh board (BCB), the Pakistan government directed the team to take the field in a statement released on Monday evening.

"This decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations," it said.

Had the match not been played there could been have long-term consequences for cricket.

The absence of the fixture could lead to disputes over the ICC's current rights deals and continued uncertainty would likely impact future agreements, with some big-money current TV deals in Asia set to run out after the 2027 World Cup.

Many of the smaller cricketing nations rely on the money distributed by the ICC, so any cut in revenue would likely hit such countries hardest.

"The dialogue between ICC and PCB took place as part of a broader engagement with both parties recognising the need for constructive dealings and being united, committed and purposeful in their aspirations to serve the best interests of the game with integrity, neutrality and cooperation," the ICC said.

"In that prevailing spirit, it was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a success."

Earlier on Monday evening, Bangladesh requested that Pakistan play the match, opening the door for the resolution.

That followed talks between officials at the PCB, the ICC and the BCB in Lahore on Sunday. BCB president Ameenul Islam requested the match go ahead "for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem".

"We are deeply moved by Pakistan's efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish," he added.

Sri Lanka, whose president also spoke with Mr Sharif about the situation on Monday, had also asked Pakistan to play.

They are set to benefit from ticket sales and an influx of spectators for the match.

The ICC's statement also confirmed Bangladesh will not be sanctioned for their boycott.

The sport's governing body also said Bangladesh will host an ICC event between 2028 and the start of the 2031 World Cup.

There were no details on what event Bangladesh would host.

All men's events have been confirmed up until 2031, with Bangladesh already scheduled to co-host the 2031 World Cup with India.

The hosts of women's tournaments have been chosen up to 2027, while the ICC also holds Under-19 World Cups.

Pakistan's matches had already been scheduled in Sri Lanka under an agreement signed with India last year, which meant the two countries will play at neutral venues when they meet at ICC events amid heightened political tensions.

Recent escalations were sparked after the neighbours engaged in a four-day military conflict in April 2025 following a deadly militant attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir.

Even before that, India refused to travel to Pakistan to play in the Champions Trophy and had their matches moved to the United Arab Emirates - a point of contention in the latest debate after Bangladesh's request was rejected.

When the two sides met at the Asia Cup last year, India's players refused to shake hands with their opponents.

Both India and Pakistan won their openings matches at the World Cup over the weekend.

Pakistan play their second match on Tuesday in Colombo against the United States. India play Namibia in Delhi on Thursday.