A major breakthrough in the T20 World Cup crisis appears imminent following a marathon five-hour meeting between the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in Lahore on Sunday.
Sources indicate that a resolution could be announced within the next 24 hours, potentially ensuring that the high-profile India-Pakistan clash scheduled for 15 February in Sri Lanka goes ahead.
The emergency talks, facilitated by the PCB, focused primarily on addressing grievances raised by the BCB regarding “past injustices.” Insiders say a formula has been devised to resolve these concerns, with the ICC responding positively to the proposals.
ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja, who led the delegation, has departed to seek final approval for the recommendations, while BCB officials have returned to Dhaka to brief their government on the developments. Both parties are expected to reconvene on Monday afternoon to finalize the agreement.
Parallel to these discussions, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is scheduled to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next 24 to 48 hours. Naqvi will seek formal instructions on the national team’s participation in the India match, a decision that rests ultimately with the Prime Minister.
This diplomatic effort follows earlier comments by Prime Minister Sharif, who publicly supported the boycott, stating that “politics should be kept out of sports” and describing the decision not to play India as “appropriate.”
Source: UNB
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
