Pakistan’s government had ordered a boycott of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 India game in solidarity with Bangladesh, which pulled out of its India matches over security worries without penalties. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi negotiated key demands like a future tournament for Bangladesh, but the ICC rejected calls for bilateral series. After appeals from BCB President Aminul Islam and Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the team to play, preserving the high-stakes fixture at R. Premadasa Stadium.
