KARACHI: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its decision to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 against arch-rivals India, international media reported on Thursday.
According to a report, the SLC formally wrote to the PCB saying that abandoning the lucrative match between the two fierce rivals scheduled to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15 would expose them to substantial financial loss.
The Sri Lanka board further urged the PCB to consider the exceptional circumstances in the relationship between the two parties.
“Any non-participation will have wide-ranging implications, including significant financial exposure for SLC and potential loss of anticipated tourism receipts,” SLC said.
“We ask that you take into account the exceptional circumstances, the enduring relationship between our two boards and the wider interests of the game of cricket.”
The development comes after the Pakistan government’s decision to bar its national men’s cricket team from playing against arch-rivals India.
Earlier this week, reports emerged in the Indian media that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had begun exploring back-channel options to persuade Pakistan to reconsider its T20 World Cup position against India.
ICC Vice-President Imran Khawaja has been entrusted with the responsibility of initiating informal talks with Pakistan over the issue.
Khawaja, representing the Singapore Cricket Association, has reportedly been tasked with trying to convince the PCB to agree to a high-level meeting.
Indian media also said that he has been asked to act as a mediator and initiate dialogue with the PCB to defuse tensions surrounding the match.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif called for the elimination of politics from sports as he supported the central government’s decision to bar the national team from fielding arch-rivals India in the 20-team mega event scheduled for February 7 to March 8.
The Prime Minister, while addressing the Union Cabinet, termed the government’s decision as “appropriate” and shared that it was taken after a collective and careful consultation in response to the politicization of sports.
He said that we have taken a clear stand that we will not play the match against India regarding the T20 World Cup.
He said that there should be no politics in sports. “We have taken this stand after careful deliberation,” he said, adding that it was an “appropriate decision”.