ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: Will Pakistan play against India? Has Pakistan backed down following ICC's tough stance?
ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected all three demands made by Pakistan, while insisting on not playing against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. Following a meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the ICC has issued a final ultimatum. According to media reports, the PCB will now reverse its stance, and their team will face India in Colombo on February 15th.
Pakistan had announced a boycott of the proposed match against India. In this regard, two ICC representatives, Imran Khwaja and Mubashir Usmani, arrived in Lahore on Sunday morning, where they held discussions with PCB officials.
Sources within the ICC said that all issues would be resolved. The Sri Lankan board is fully prepared to host the match, and the game will be played as per the scheduled date, sources said.
Pakistan backs down following ICC's tough stance
The ICC has warned Pakistan that it would not be allowed to play only selected matches in the tournament. If Pakistan withdraws from the match against India, it could face heavy financial losses, point deductions, and even repercussions for future tournaments. Following this strong stance from the ICC, Pakistan has backed down.
Demand for a mandatory handshake
During this high-profile meeting in Lahore, Pakistan put forward three conditions for playing a match against India, the most discussed of which was the demand for a mandatory handshake between the players. Pakistan wants the players to shake hands on the field during the India-Pakistan match, to convey the message that relations between the two countries are normal.
Handshake is not mandatory under ICC rules
The PCB is linking handshake to sportsmanship and a positive image. But the real reason behind this demand is something else. Pakistan is still smarting from the incident during the Asia Cup when Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistani players and even declined to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. This deeply offended Pakistan. Under current ICC rules, a handshake is not mandatory. It depends entirely on the mutual agreement of the teams. Therefore, Pakistan's demand is creating an awkward situation for the ICC.
Pakistan's other 2 demands
Besides the handshake, two other demands from Pakistan have also emerged. Pakistan's first demand concerns the ICC's revenue model. The PCB wants a larger share of the ICC's earnings. However, this model is already established, and immediate changes are not possible. The second demand is for the resumption of bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan. This matter does not fall under the ICC's jurisdiction, and it is considered impossible without the consent of both countries' governments. These demands have presented a new challenge for the ICC.
No compromise on the prestige of the World Cup: ICC
The ICC has made it clear that there will be no compromise on the prestige of the World Cup, but the doors for dialogue remain open. Following this crucial meeting in Lahore, all eyes are now on how much Pakistan changes its stance and whether the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match on February 15th will be played as scheduled.