UAE's Mubashir Usmani was involved in talks too

It was the Shehbaz Sharif Government in Pakistan that had caused uncertainty in the ongoing T20 World Cup a couple of weeks ago by stating that its team would not participate in the game against India. On Sunday night, the Sharif dispensation confirmed that it was reversing its own decision on the February 15 contest against the traditional rivals.

"In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations," the Pakistan Government said in a statement on Monday night.

The U-turn by Pakistan required skills in negotiation and crisis management. And it seems one of the behind-the-scenes figures in resolving the crisis was Mubashir Usmani of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in the UAE. While Imran Khwaja, the deputy chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC), was in Lahore discussing matters across the table, Usmani was involved in the marathon discussions from London. He was part of the Zoom meeting with ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta and PCB CEO Salman Naseer that went on till late into the night.

The PCB did not forget to thank Usmani and UAE. "The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan's leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges," the Pakistan Government said after the resolution was arrived at.

Usmani is Indian-born secretary general of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). It was reported that only Khwaja was involved in the discussions on behalf of the ICC but Usmani was a long-distance participant. As reported by this website, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta and his team were behind all the groundwork that was done before a resolution, acceptable to all parties, was arrived at.

The Pakistan Government also confirmed that Sharif had a conversation with the Sri Lanka President. "This evening, the Prime Minister held a telephone call with H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse," the Pakistan Government said.