Shukla Responds to Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 Boycott Amid Ongoing Back-Channel Negotiations

New Delhi:

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla has reacted to the report circulating of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) having initiated talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on a possible U-Turn on their India boycott call in the T20 World Cup 2026 league stage.

The Pakistani government had given a clearance to the team for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka; however, it had instructed the team not to take the field against the Men in Blue in their group clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15. 

However, there have been reports that a U-Turn is possible, with some reports claiming that the match is likely to be played. Amidst all this, the BCCI vice-president Shukla has given his reaction, leaving the decision to the ICC. “I will not comment on all these issues, nor will I make any comment from the BCCI side. Everything has been submitted to the ICC. We will abide by whatever decision or judgment the ICC makes. We have fully entrusted the matter to the ICC,” Shukla told reporters when asked about the reported initiation by the PCB over reconsidering the India boycott.

ICC officials in Lahore for meeting with PCB; BCB prez also present

Meanwhile, ICC directors Imran Khwaja and Mubashir Usmani arrived in Lahore for talks with the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, with Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam also in attendance. The tripartite met at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, in what can be a possible solution to the impasse.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, which cited unverified information, the PCB has listed a few demands. The board wants an increase in the share in the ICC revenue, wanting the restoration of the bilateral cricket with India, and also the enforcement of the handshake policy. The back-channel talks are underway as the parties look for a resolution.

ICC is handling the situation in line with its established approach to sensitive issues, emphasising engagement, precedent, and process rather than confrontation. The governing body’s priorities remain the integrity of the tournament, the welfare of players, and the interests of fans and stakeholders, as reported by India Today.

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