Inside the ICC's handling of the Pakistan boycott crisis

Shortly after the Pakistan crisis was resolved late on Monday night, a message circulated in the ICC Associate Members' WhatsApp group. It read, "The uncertainty of where the T20 world cup was headed, was uppermost in the minds and public media, with speculations, rumours and predictions of what February 15th had in store for every cricket fan.

"Well now, it seems like the writing is on the wall, and the excitement, fanfare and rush of adrenalin, can be brought back to the fore, and it's very commendable that this could be made possible. Kudos to the individuals who bridged the gap, and set the foundation to uphold the values of cricket, for the now and the future....."

The India-Pakistan boycott crisis was one of the more testing moments of Jay Shah's early tenure at the International Cricket Council (ICC), with questions being raised around the governing body's neutrality. However, the situation was diffused five days before the marquee Colombo fixture, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) withdrew its threat. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the other party involved, also came on board over the course of events.

The crisis did not resolve itself, and required sustained negotiation and careful management. Both the PCB and BCB remained in regular communication until the former eventually reversed its stance. The proposed boycott, which had been framed in broader political terms, had drawn in even the country's Prime Minister. On Sunday night, Shehbaz Sharif eventually confirmed the game scheduled for February 15 would go ahead as planned.

Throughout the episode, Shah ensured the ICC held its position on the framework of the global event while continuing discussions with the two boards involved. The PCB was informed that while the ICC acknowledged the role of governments in matters of national policy, selective participation in a global tournament would not be accommodated.

"The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of," the ICC said in a recent statement on Pakistan's boycott threat.

According to officials familiar with the process, the ICC leadership remained actively engaged across time zones during the negotiations. The media release on Pakistan's boycott threat, for instance, was issued while Shah was attending an International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Milan, indicating that the matter was being handled alongside other scheduled commitments.

An ICC member described Shah as closely involved in the process, while delegating responsibilities within the team and following up during the course of discussions.

ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja was deputed to Lahore for discussions with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, with UAE board member Mubashir Usmani joining remotely from London. Parallel coordination continued from Mumbai, where the ICC team was based, with the resolution emerging after several days of engagement across locations, as previously reported by Cricbuzz.

Bangladesh was not subjected to sanctions, in line with the administration's stated position of neutrality. As outlined in the ICC release, there were no financial, sporting or administrative penalties on the BCB, which was also informed of its right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee. Separately, Bangladesh was awarded an ICC event prior to the 2031 World Cup, which it will co-host with the BCCI.

This latest standoff and its eventual resolution unfolded reflected how the ICC administration approaches various issues. In the months since December 2024, when Shah assumed office, there have been several policy changes. Prize money for the most recent Women's World Cup increased by 297 per cent to USD 13.88 million from USD 3.5 million in 2022, surpassing the USD 10 million on offer at the 2023 men's World Cup. Ticket prices across ICC events have been slashed, and a task force with a dedicated fund was established to support displaced Afghan women cricketers, a decision taken at the board meeting in April 2025.

During the recent Under-19 World Cup in Africa, Shah held meetings with representatives from both Full and Associate members, with officials noting that no distinction was made in engagement between the two groups. The approach was consistent with the ICC's position that all 110 member boards operate on an equal footing within its structure. That alignment was reflected in the Board vote on Bangladesh's replacement in the World Cup, which passed 14-2, with only the directly affected boards dissenting. The rest remained perfectly united under Shah's leadership.