No handshake, no game? Pakistan cricket makes 3 demands to end IND vs PAK boycott in T20 World Cup 2026; details

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday reportedly made three demands to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Lahore as part of reconsidering their boycott threat against India in the ongoing tournament, with the match scheduled for 15 February in Colombo.

Standing in solidarity with Bangladesh, the Pakistan government instructed its national team to boycott the match against India while continuing to play the rest of the fixtures, leaving stakeholders in a fix. According to HT, a two-member ICC delegation, comprising Imran Khawaja, ICC deputy chairman, and Mubashir Usmani, associate members’ representative, met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Lahore to discuss the decision not to play India.

Also present was Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam, who is believed to have been invited by the PCB. The dispute began when Bangladesh refused to play on Indian soil due to security reasons. Based on a Cricbuzz report, the PCB also raised the Asia Cup “no-handshake row” among their three demands.

“PCB is demanding an increased share of ICC revenue, the restoration of bilateral cricket with India, and enforcement of the handshake protocols in the game,” said the report. According to PTI, PCB's annual ICC share comes to approximately $38 million.

India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral series for the past 13 years and meet only at ICC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) events across formats. 

What was BCB president's role in the meeting?

While BCB has no direct involvement in the India vs Pakistan boycott, it is understood that PCB invited BCB to gain support. An HT report said that BCB demanded hosting rights for another ICC event and monetary compensation after they were removed.

“Bangladesh, too, has demanded monetary compensation from the ICC and one global event, maybe the next Under-19 World Cup in 2028,” the HT report quoted a source. It added that the ICC assured both PCB and BCB that their demands would be presented to the ICC board.

According to media reports, the final call on the India vs Pakistan clash will come from the Pakistan government, as this is no longer a pure cricketing issue. The decision not to play against India was made by the government of Pakistan.

Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's Interior Minister, will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the next 24-48 hours to discuss the issue. A final decision is expected soon. Earlier, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board also wrote to the PCB, urging them to reconsider the boycott, as it would financially impact the host nation.