BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla Thanks ICC for Persuading Pakistan to Play Against India
Mumbai: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla has thanked the International Cricket Council (ICC) for its role in persuading Pakistan to agree to play against India, calling the development a positive step in the interest of cricket.
Speaking to Indian media in Delhi, Rajeev Shukla said that the decision reached after negotiations between the ICC, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was encouraging and beneficial for the sport.
According to Shukla, ICC representatives, under the supervision of the ICC chairman, visited Lahore and held detailed discussions with officials from the PCB and BCB. He said the primary objective of the talks was to resolve disputes while prioritizing cricket.
“It is a matter of great satisfaction that all parties have agreed on an acceptable and friendly solution,” Shukla said, describing the outcome as a major success for the ICC.
#WATCH | Delhi | On Pakistan to play against India at T20 cricket World Cup, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla says, "I am delighted to see the outcome of the deliberations initiated by ICC representative, supervised by the ICC Chairman and the representatives who had gone to… pic.twitter.com/3x9xSDyGMB
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2026
He added that the ICC played a decisive role by addressing concerns and bringing Pakistan back to the table. As a result, the match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo will take place as planned, with Pakistan confirming its participation—news that Shukla said would delight cricket fans.
The BCCI vice president further stated that the concerns of the Bangladesh Cricket Board had also largely been resolved following the talks, and that Bangladesh officials had appreciated the ICC’s efforts.
Calling the decision beneficial for all stakeholders, Shukla said it had paved the way for the smooth and successful conduct of the World Cup. “This is a win-win situation for everyone, with cricket emerging as the biggest winner,” he concluded.
