Islamabad — The Government of Pakistan has confirmed that the national cricket team will play against India on February 15 in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, ending uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation in the high-profile fixture.

The confirmation was issued through an official government statement shared on social media, citing the outcomes of multilateral consultations and requests from friendly countries. The government said the decision was taken to uphold the spirit of cricket and ensure the continuity of the global game across participating nations.

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According to the statement, the decision followed a briefing by Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, to Shehbaz Sharif on discussions held with the International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Decision follows regional consultations

The government said it also reviewed formal requests from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, along with supporting communications from cricket boards in Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These communications called on Pakistan to help facilitate a workable solution to recent challenges affecting international cricket engagements.

Officials noted that Pakistan’s participation was approved after considering diplomatic engagement, regional cooperation, and the broader interests of the sport.

The development comes after the government had earlier directed the national team not to take the field against India as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh, pending the outcome of international consultations.