Bangladesh asks Pakistan to play India World Cup match
Published: 10 February 2026, 2:11:23
BCB on Monday thanked PCB for backing it during a standoff with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over its participation in the Men’s T20 World Cup, as pressure mounted to resolve a dispute that has left the team sidelined from the tournament schedule.
In a statement issued in Dhaka, the BCB praised the PCB and its chairman Mohsin Raza Naqvi for showing “exemplary sportsmanship and solidarity” during talks aimed at breaking the deadlock.
BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said he had travelled to Lahore for emergency discussions and urged PCB to go ahead with its scheduled World Cup match against India on 15 February in the interests of the wider tournament.
“Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket eco-system,” Bulbul said.
Earlier, Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland BCB refused to travel to India for a group-stage match, citing security and political concerns.
The decision effectively froze Bangladesh out of the competition even after the tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, had already begun.
Pakistan had earlier indicated it would not play India in protest over Bangladesh’s exclusion, raising the prospect of a wider crisis at the World Cup and intensifying pressure on the ICC to broker a compromise.
