BCB President urges Pakistan to play India in Colombo

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam on Monday requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play the group fixture against India in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled at Sri Lanka on February 15.

The decision now lies in the hands of the Pakistan government after they earlier insisted that they will take part in the ongoing T20 World Cup but will not play against India.

A marathon meeting in Lahore took place on Sunday between officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the vexing issue of Pakistan's participation in the February 15 match against India.

BCB president Aminul Islam, who was invited by the PCB, represented Bangladesh in the tripartite conclave which was also attended by a couple of ICC officials.

After long deliberations among representatives of three bodies, the matter is believed to have reached the table of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is expected to put his stamp of approval.

"We are deeply moved by Pakistan's efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish," Aminul, who returned to Bangladesh from Pakistan on Monday, said in a statement.

"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," he added.

The PCB, who had earlier indicated it would not play India in protest over Bangladesh's exclusion, supported the country after they refused to travel to India to play in the World Cup, citing security reasons.

ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland as they failed to accommodate them in Sri Lanka on short notice after BCB requested to relocate their venues.