On Monday night, the Government of Pakistan officially announced that its team would “take the field” against India, ending days of uncertainty surrounding the marquee fixture. The U-turn followed the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) confirmation that no sanctions would be imposed on the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for not travelling to India for the 20-team tournament.
The breakthrough came after a two-member ICC delegation met Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi and BCB president Aminul Islam at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. During the meeting, several demands were placed before the ICC. Subsequently, the apex body assured Bangladesh that it would not face any punitive action and would be granted hosting rights for one ICC event before 2031, paving the way for Pakistan’s approval to play India.
