Pakistan will play India in Colombo tomorrow after earlier announcing a boycott in protest of what it called India’s dominance and ICC’s double standards. The decision followed a tripartite meeting in Lahore among the ICC, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), where BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul played a key role in ensuring the match proceeds. Former ICC media manager and Pakistani journalist Sami Ul Hasan said the India-Pakistan match is essential for the good of cricket.

The dispute began when the ICC refused Bangladesh’s request to shift its T20 World Cup venue from India to Sri Lanka, leading Bangladesh to withdraw from the tournament. Scotland replaced Bangladesh in the competition. The Lahore meeting also resolved uncertainties over possible sanctions, confirming Bangladesh would face no punishment and would continue hosting ICC events through 2031. Hasan credited ICC’s proactive role and cooperation with PCB and BCB for the positive outcome.

Hasan explained that canceling the India-Pakistan match would have caused major financial losses, affecting ICC’s ability to support smaller cricket nations dependent on shared revenues.