explainer
Al Jazeera explains how a player’s departure from the franchise sparked the biggest cricketing crisis in recent years.
listen to this article4 minutes
information
Published February 10, 2026
After more than a week of deadlock, negotiations and meetings, Pakistan has agreed to call off its T20 World Cup boycott against India, ending one of the biggest crises in cricket history.
Apart from the final, the India vs Pakistan match is the biggest match of any cricket tournament, bringing record viewership, huge revenue and unparalleled attention to the sport.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Here’s how the T20 World Cup dispute started and ended.
When and how did the T20 World Cup crisis begin?
It all started on January 3, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League (IPL) squad.
The move comes amidst ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh, with BCCI chief Devajit Saikia calling it “the latest development that is taking place across the country”.
Why did Bangladesh refuse to play in India?
The next day, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced that the team would not travel to India for the World Cup, citing concerns for the safety of players and staff, based on the recommendations of the Bangladesh Interim Government.
The organization has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move the Bangladesh match, which was scheduled to be held in India, to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host.
Why did ICC exclude Bangladesh from T20 World Cup?
The ICC and BCB held negotiations for more than two weeks, during which the game’s world governing body unsuccessfully tried to persuade Bangladesh to play the game in India.
When Bangladesh chose to stand their ground, the ICC removed them from the World Cup on January 24 and replaced them with Scotland.
Why and when did Pakistan announce a boycott of the match against India?
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was quick to defend Bangladesh, saying the ICC’s decision reeked of “double standards” as it had previously moved India’s matches to the same venue.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the board will decide the team’s fate in the World Cup after consulting with the government.
A week after Bangladesh was expelled, the Pakistani government shocked the cricket world by announcing that its team would not play against India.
The move, announced days later by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was in solidarity with Bangladesh.
How did the ICC react to the Pakistan boycott?
The ICC’s initial reaction was to warn Pakistan against carrying out a boycott as it could have a negative impact on domestic cricket.
However, when Pakistan refused to change its position, the ICC began a series of meetings and negotiations with PCB officials to persuade them otherwise.
PCB chief Naqvi reportedly entertained BCB chairman Aminul Islam and ICC officials on Sunday and presented a series of demands, most of them involving Bangladesh.
Why did Pakistan agree to play against India?
The ICC on Monday said its dialogue with the PCB and BCB had been “constructive and friendly” and agreed that Bangladesh would not face any penalties or sanctions for refusing to play in India.
It also promised to host an ICC event in Bangladesh between 2028 and 2031.
Within an hour, the Pakistani government announced that it had ordered the cricket team to play against India on February 15.
