KEY POINTS
- PCB Spokesperson Amir Mir dismissed the reports as ‘fiction’, countering claims made by Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta.
- Pakistan’s stance remains firm, following the government’s order not to play February 15 match
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally rejected media reports originating from India, which claimed that it had initiated a dialogue with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resolve the looming forfeiture of its T20 World Cup group-stage match against India.
The rebuttal follows an assertion by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta on social media platform X that the PCB had “reached out to ICC for a dialogue” following an official communication from the global governing body.
‘Fiction’ claims Countered by PCB Spokesperson
PCB spokesperson Amir Mir issued a sharp denial of these claims. “I categorically reject the claim by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta that PCB approached the ICC,” Mir stated.
“I categorically reject the claim by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta that PCB approached the ICC. As usual, sections of the Indian media are busy circulating fiction. A little patience and time will clearly show who actually went knocking and who didn’t.”
PCB Spokesperson Amir…— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 7, 2026
He further criticised sections of the Indian media, adding, “As usual, sections of the Indian media are busy circulating fiction. A little patience and time will clearly show who actually went knocking and who didn’t.”
BIG BREAKING: PCB has now reached out to ICC for a dialogue on the India-Pakistan World Cup after the ICC replied to their official communication: PCB first wrote to ICC saying they were pulling out of that game implying the ‘Force Majeure’, attaching their Govt’s tweet.
The ICC…— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) February 7, 2026
Government Mandate Forces Forfeiture
Earlier, following a meeting between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani government granted the national team approval to participate in the tournament but explicitly forbade them from taking the field against India officially scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
India’s stance remains unchanged, with captain Suryakumar Yadav confirming this week that his team intends to travel to Colombo for the scheduled fixture.
The two nations have not played a bilateral series in over a decade, meeting only in multi-nation tournaments. As the clock ticks down to February 15, the world watches to see if cricket diplomacy can avert a walkover.
