Pakistan has signalled a conditional willingness to end its proposed boycott of the high-profile T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India, but only if three key demands are accepted by the International Cricket Council (ICC), NDTV sources have said. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier threatened to skip the fixture despite warnings from the ICC about possible consequences.

According to sources, the demands were placed during a meeting between PCB officials and ICC representatives in Lahore on Sunday. These include enhanced financial compensation linked to Bangladesh’s situation, a participation fee for Bangladesh despite its removal from the tournament, and hosting rights for Pakistan for a future ICC event. The PCB has reportedly framed these conditions as necessary to resolve what it sees as an uneven handling of recent developments by the global body.

While some within the PCB are said to be open to playing the India match — scheduled for February 15 in Colombo — board chairman Mohsin Naqvi remains firm on maintaining pressure. Naqvi is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday to seek political guidance before the board takes a final call on whether to participate in the marquee encounter.

Also Read: Pakistan Escape Major Embarrassment as Faheem Ashraf Rescues 3-Wicket Win vs Netherlands

The standoff follows the ICC’s decision last month to remove Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India for group-stage matches, citing security concerns. The ICC maintained there was no credible threat and replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, a move that triggered strong reactions within regional cricket boards.

Pakistan has since backed Bangladesh’s position, with Naqvi and senior PCB officials holding discussions with BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul to coordinate their response. The ICC has also sought a detailed explanation from the PCB on how force majeure provisions could justify a refusal to play, after the board attempted to attribute the decision to government advice.

Amid the off-field controversy, Pakistan began its T20 World Cup campaign with a narrow three-wicket win over the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday, avoiding an early upset as uncertainty continues to loom over the politically sensitive India clash.

Also Read: Pakistan Captain Salman Ali Agha Expresses Regret Over Bangladesh's Exclusion From T20 World Cup