Pakistan tells ICC to revive bilateral ties with India; PCB and Mohsin Naqvi place three demands to end boycott – Report

According to a report, the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi put forward three demands in front of the ICC to end the T20 World Cup India match boycott call.

Updated on: Feb 9, 2026, 12:02:14 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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The standoff between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and India is nearing its end, and we can have a final verdict anytime soon. On Sunday, the two-member ICC delegation, comprising ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja and ICC Associate Members’ representative Mubashir Usmani, arrived in Pakistan to meet with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi regarding the decision not to play against India on February 15 in Colombo. According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport, the meeting saw the PCB set three conditions before the apex body to end the boycott call.

The PCB chief, Mohsin Naqvi, put forward three demands in front of the ICC (AP)

On February 1, two weeks before the start of the T20 World Cup, the Government of Pakistan announced that the men's team wouldn't take the field against India at the Premadasa Stadium. The decision was taken to show solidarity with Bangladesh, who were ousted from the tournament after refusing to travel to India.

The emergency meeting between the ICC delegation and PCB chief Naqvi was also attended by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam, who landed in Lahore via Karachi on Sunday morning. According to Telecom Asia Sport, Pakistan are likely to relent, but certain demands have been put to the ICC.

Also Read: Pakistan decision on India T20 World Cup match Live Updates: PCB sets three conditions in front of ICC to end boycott

Apart from requesting a higher revenue share, Naqvi also asked the ICC to help resume bilateral ties between India and Pakistan. He also brought up the no-handshake gate from the Asia Cup, saying players should uphold the ethics of the game and observe customary greetings.

“During the meeting PCB chairman presented before ICC a few conditions including increase in Pakistan’s annual funding, India reviving bilateral series and their players shake hands in an India-Pakistan match,” the publication quoted a source as saying.

BCB's demand

Not just the PCB, even Bangladesh chief Aminul Islam had something to ask from the ICC, and he demanded the hosting rights for one ICC event. “Bangladesh, too, has demanded monetary compensation from the ICC and one global event, maybe the next Under-19 World Cup in 2028,” the source further read.

The report further stated that the ICC officials assured both concerned parties that these demands would be presented to the ICC Board.

However, the final call on the India-Pakistan match would rest with the latter's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, as the decision not to play was announced by the Government of Pakistan.

Naqvi, also the Interior Minister of Pakistan, is expected to meet Sharif in the next 24-28 hours, and a final verdict on the ongoing issue is expected to be pronounced in the coming days.

Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had also written to the PCB, requesting reconsideration of the decision. The board also reminded Pakistan that they were always there to help, and that it's now their turn to reciprocate.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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