An International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation is set to arrive in Lahore on Sunday evening to hold an important meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding the government’s decision to bar the national team from playing against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
According to media reports, the delegation, led by ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja, is expected to reach Lahore at 4:30 PM.
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The meeting will also see the participation of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chairman Aminul Islam, who is likely to meet PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during his brief visit before returning to Bangladesh later in the evening.
Reports suggested that other ICC members may attend the meeting.
This emergency meeting comes shortly after reports in Indian media claimed that the ICC had begun exploring back-channel efforts to convince Pakistan to reconsider its stance on the high-profile clash.
Khawaja, who represents the Singapore Cricket Association, has reportedly been tasked with initiating informal talks with the PCB and acting as a mediator to ease tensions surrounding the fixture.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed his support for the government’s decision, calling for politics to be kept out of sports.
READ: BCB chairman arrives in Pakistan ahead of urgent ICC talks on Pakistan-India match: Reports
Speaking to the federal cabinet, he described the decision as “appropriate” and explained that it was taken after careful deliberation in response to the politicisation of sports.
“We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India,” the Prime Minister said.
“There should be no politics in sports. We have taken this stand after deliberating on it carefully,” he added, calling the move an “appropriate decision.”
