The standoff between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the T20 World Cup has intensified, with uncertainty still surrounding the high-profile Group A clash between India and Pakistan scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. With the 20-team tournament set to begin in just two days, clarity remains elusive.
On February 1, the Government of Pakistan sent shockwaves through the cricketing world by announcing that the Salman Ali Agha-led side would not take the field against Suryakumar Yadav’s India. No official explanation was provided, though it is widely believed the decision followed the ICC’s move to oust Bangladesh from the tournament after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India, citing security concerns.
The decision has triggered widespread speculation about the future of the tournament and the already fragile cricketing relationship between the two Asian rivals. Amid the growing fallout, Hindustan Times Digital spoke to former PCB and ICC chairman Ehsan Mani, who offered insight into the unfolding crisis.
Mani, 80, who served as ICC chairman from 2003 to 2006, said the onus is now on ICC chairman Jay Shah to initiate dialogue with both the PCB and the Government of Pakistan in an attempt to resolve the impasse and ensure the marquee India-Pakistan fixture goes ahead. Drawing parallels with his own tenure, Mani recalled overseeing India’s 2004 tour of Pakistan under Sourav Ganguly after extensive government-level negotiations.
Reflecting on what may have prompted Pakistan’s hardline stance, Mani pointed to lingering tensions from the Asia Cup 2025. He recalled the lack of handshakes between Indian and Pakistani players and India’s refusal to accept the trophy from PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
“You have to look at the background. I don’t think the PCB chairman was happy with the Indian players refusing to shake hands or accept the trophy from him,” Mani told HT. “The relationship between the countries is not good, which is unfortunate. We always worked very closely with the BCCI, but their attitude has changed significantly.”
Mani added that the PCB is likely to justify its decision by citing government instructions, similar to India’s refusal to tour Pakistan for previous ICC events.
“This is very unfortunate. The ICC chairman represents all member countries, including Pakistan. He should be engaging not just with the PCB but also with the government of Pakistan, as I did before India’s 2004 tour,” Mani said.
Following Pakistan’s announcement, reports emerged suggesting the PCB could face ICC sanctions—raising concerns about the future of cricket in the country. Mani acknowledged that the PCB could face pressure from official broadcasters JioStar but cautioned against assuming sanctions would be straightforward.
“The PCB has signed a participation agreement, but they will argue that following government instructions is legally reasonable, just as the BCCI did,” Mani said. “The broadcaster agreement would need close examination. In my time, all matches were treated equally. It won’t be easy to sanction Pakistan—they would have a strong defence.”
Mani also questioned the ICC’s handling of the situation, particularly its decision to issue a public statement urging Pakistan to reconsider before receiving formal communication from the PCB.
“If I were chairman, I would have first spoken directly to the PCB chairman to understand the situation before issuing a statement,” he said. “There must be direct chairman-to-chairman communication.”
The former ICC chief was equally critical of the ICC’s refusal to accommodate Bangladesh’s request to shift matches out of India, a move that ultimately led to their removal from the tournament and Scotland’s inclusion.
“There should have been accommodation for Bangladesh’s concerns. The relationship between India and Bangladesh has not been good since the change in government there, which raises questions,” Mani said. “If Bangladesh had been accommodated, we may not be in this situation today.”
Concluding his remarks, Mani expressed disappointment at political interference in the sport.
“I strongly dislike politics entering the game from any side. Sadly, that’s exactly what’s happening now, and it’s not good for world cricket,” he said.
