BCB Chief Arrives in Pakistan Ahead of Crucial ICC Meeting on India Match Boycott

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam arrived in Pakistan on Sunday ahead of a high-stakes ICC meeting that will address Pakistan’s boycott of their T20 World Cup group-stage match against India. According to Geo News, Islam will participate in the emergency meeting scheduled later today, with several other ICC board members also expected to join.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCP) President Mr Aminul Islam being received at the Lahore Airport by Mr Salman Naseer and others۔ pic.twitter.com/LrMbaiJlNb

— Amir Mir (@AmirMirpcb) February 8, 2026

During his visit, the BCB chief is set to meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi before returning to Dhaka. An ICC delegation led by the organisation’s Deputy Chairman is also expected to land in Pakistan to continue discussions with PCB officials regarding the February 15 India–Pakistan fixture scheduled in Sri Lanka.

The developments come after Pakistan officially announced via their X handle that they would not take the field for the match. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later linked the boycott to Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament, calling it an act of solidarity. Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland after the ICC rejected their request to move all their matches outside India. The request reportedly stemmed from tensions involving Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad following BCCI instructions amid concerns over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.

The ICC has asked the PCB to justify invoking the ‘Force Majeure’ clause, which they cited in their official communication. Under the ICC’s Members Participation Agreement, Force Majeure can be invoked in the event of a government order, but the board must demonstrate that it attempted to mitigate the situation. ICC officials are also reported to have shared the potential commercial, sporting and governance consequences of the match not going ahead—including the possibility of sanctions or membership suspension in cases of major obligation breaches.

The PCB, however, believes it has a strong basis should the issue escalate legally. Officials have referenced the earlier PCB–BCCI dispute heard by the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee concerning a 2014 MoU for bilateral series. While PCB lost the damages claim, they argue the Indian government’s refusal to permit the matches effectively set a precedent for government interference being beyond a board’s control.

Back-channel talks continue, with ICC representatives Imran Khwaja and Mubashir Usmani in active dialogue with PCB leadership in an effort to resolve the standoff. For now, both the ICC and PCB have refrained from issuing formal statements as negotiations remain ongoing.