The International Cricket Council (ICC) has called for a high-profile meeting involving the heads of the top five Asian cricketing nations amid recent tensions surrounding the T20 World Cup 2026. The meeting is scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the India vs Pakistan match in Colombo.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam revealed that the ICC wants representatives from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and another Asian nation to attend the match together and engage in dialogue. The initiative comes after strained relations between India, Bangladesh and Pakistan threatened to disrupt the tournament.
According to Aminul Islam, Pakistan had initially considered boycotting its group-stage match against India and even threatened to withdraw from the tournament. However, following discussions involving the PCB, BCB and ICC, Pakistan reversed its decision. The BCB chief said financial implications played a major role, as the India-Pakistan clash is one of the most commercially valuable fixtures in global sport, generating massive broadcast revenues.
The ICC’s move aims to ease diplomatic tensions and ensure the smooth conduct of the T20 World Cup 2026, protecting both the tournament’s integrity and its commercial interests.
