Negotiations between the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) concluded on Sunday, with sources saying a major breakthrough could be announced within the next 24 hours.
The talks lasted more than five hours, during which all three parties made coordinated efforts to reach a mutually acceptable outcome. Sources said the ICC responded positively to concerns raised by the BCB, and a formula has been developed to address Bangladesh’s grievances and what it considers past injustices.
During the meeting, most proposals were exchanged directly between the ICC and the BCB. The PCB acted mainly as a facilitator, helping coordinate discussions between the two sides.
Sources said ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja left after the talks to seek final approval for the proposed recommendations. Meanwhile, the BCB president returned to brief the Bangladesh government on the latest developments.
Following agreement on a shared framework, the ICC and BCB are expected to reconnect on Monday afternoon to continue the process.
Separately, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to meet Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next one or two days to discuss the scheduled Pakistan–India match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The match is set to take place on February 15 in Sri Lanka.
The meeting has been requested by the ICC, with Naqvi expected to seek formal instructions from the prime minister regarding the high-profile fixture. Sources stressed that the final decision on whether Pakistan will play India will rest with Prime Minister Sharif.
The emergency ICC meeting took place days after Indian media reports claimed the ICC had begun exploring back-channel efforts to persuade Pakistan to reconsider its position on the T20 World Cup clash against India.
According to those reports, Imran Khwaja, who represents the Singapore Cricket Association, was tasked with initiating informal discussions with the PCB to reduce tensions and help facilitate dialogue. Indian media also reported that Khwaja was asked to act as a mediator on the issue.
Later the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the federal government’s stance, saying Pakistan would not play India in the tournament. While calling for politics to be kept out of sports, he supported the decision not to allow the match at the 20-team event scheduled from February 7 to March 8.
“We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India,” Sharif said. “There should be no politics in sports. We have taken this stand after careful deliberation,” he added, calling it an appropriate decision.
