Both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have maintained silence since chaos erupted on Sunday night, after the Pakistan government directed its players not to take the field in the Group A T20 World Cup match against India on February 15. While the ICC has effectively left the ball in Pakistan’s court through a strongly worded response to the boycott threat, the PCB has yet to make its next move.
ICC was not happy with Pakistan's boycott stance
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According to a Cricbuzz report, there has been no clarity on an ICC Board meeting to discuss the issue, with the website citing conversations with multiple board directors. The report further added that the PCB has still not officially informed the ICC of its intention to forfeit the group match against India in Colombo.
At present, the PCB has only received a directive from the Pakistan government, communicated through a social media post on X on Sunday night. While the players have been given approval to participate in the T20 World Cup, they have been explicitly instructed not to play the match against India. However, social media posts do not constitute official communication in ICC protocols.
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The announcement did not sit well with the ICC, which made its position clear that selective participation would not be accepted and could attract severe sanctions if the PCB proceeds with the boycott.
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The announcement did not sit well with the ICC, which made its position clear that selective participation would not be accepted and could attract severe sanctions if the PCB proceeds with the boycott.
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In a statement issued on Sunday night, the ICC said: “While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.
“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”
Despite the boycott threat, Team India is reportedly set to travel to Sri Lanka for the fixture and will adhere to all ICC protocols, including scheduled training sessions and the mandatory pre-match press conference.
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For India to be awarded a walkover, captain Suryakumar Yadav will have to walk out for the toss and wait for his Pakistan counterpart, Salman Ali Agha. If the Pakistan captain does not appear, the match referee will formally award the two points to India on the grounds of forfeiture.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/ICC board meeting still in limbo over Pakistan’s India boycott; PCB makes no move: Report
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