- BCB president to attend ICC’s virtual meeting: sources.
- Other board members likely to also attend emergency meeting.
- Aminul Islam to also meet PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
LAHORE: In the aftermath of Pakistan’s announcement to boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam has arrived in Pakistan, sources said on Sunday.
During his stay in Pakistan, the BCB chief, sources added, will attend the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) emergency virtual meeting later today, with other board members also expected to participate.
Islam will also meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi before departing for Dhaka, the sources said.
The development comes against the backdrop of Pakistan’s decision to boycott its World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15, amid what the PCB has described as the ICC’s biased approach, with Bangladesh playing a central role in the dispute.
Tensions flared between the cricket boards of Bangladesh and India after Bangladesh’s star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the directions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sparking outrage in Dhaka.
Later, the BCB requested the ICC to shift its matches outside India, but the international cricket body rejected the plea. Following the BCB’s firm stance, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the event.
Furthermore, the PCB has dismissed reports by Indian media claiming that it had offered dialogue to the ICC to resolve the issue surrounding its decision to forfeit the India match.
PCB spokesperson Amir Mir issued the rebuttal after Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta claimed that the PCB had reached out to the ICC for dialogue on the India-Pakistan World Cup game.
Any clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is one of the most lucrative fixtures in cricket, worth millions of dollars in broadcast, sponsorship and advertising revenue.
In commercial terms, the overall value of a single India-Pakistan T20 match is estimated at around $500 million, or approximately INR45,000 crore, when broadcast rights, advertising premiums, sponsorship activations, ticket sales and downstream commercial activity are taken into account.
According to a report, advertising slots during an India-Pakistan T20 match command between INR25 lakh and INR40 lakh for a 10-second spot, significantly higher than even knockout matches involving India against other top teams.
The most immediate financial impact would be felt by the official broadcast rights holder, as advertising revenue from the India-Pakistan match alone is estimated at around INR300 crore, the Indian publication cited industry projections as suggesting.
The BCB chief’s reported arrival in Pakistan is also being viewed in the context of earlier Indian media reports claiming that the ICC was seeking back-channel talks with the PCB and had tasked its deputy chairman Imran Khwaja, to engage with the Pakistani board on the issue.
