Decision on Pakistan–India T20 World Cup Match Likely by February 12

Islamabad: No immediate progress is expected today regarding the highly anticipated Pakistan–India match in the ICC T20 World Cup, sources said on Sunday.

According to media reports, negotiations were held a day earlier among the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over Pakistan’s potential boycott of the match against India.

Sources indicated that a major breakthrough could occur within the next 24 hours. In this regard, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today, after which a final decision on whether to play India is likely to be made.

Indian media has claimed that the ICC has given Pakistan a deadline of February 9 to decide on the issue. However, sources maintain that no concrete development is expected today and that the final decision regarding the Pakistan–India match is more likely to be announced on February 12.

It is worth noting that following what the PCB described as unfair treatment of Bangladesh by the ICC, the board—on the instructions of the Government of Pakistan—had decided to participate in the T20 World Cup but not play the match against India.