SL president thanks Pak PM for agreeing to play India in T20 World Cup

India-Pakistan

IMAGE: The India-Pakistan encounter in the T20 World Cup will proceed as scheduled. Photograph: Satish Kumar/Reuters

Key Points

Pakistan government instructs its national team to play India in the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka president thanks Pakistan Prime Minister for the decison.
The high stakes match will take place in Colombo on Feburary 15, 2026.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ensuring that the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match at the ongoing ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as scheduled on February 15.

"Thank you Prime Minister @CMShehbaz for ensuring the game we all love goes on. Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as planned," the Sri Lankan President wrote on 'X'.

"As co-host of the tournament, Sri Lanka thanks the @ICC and all concerned for their efforts. Sri Lanka hasn't forgotten the solidarity shown by both India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup, when they played in Colombo at a time when others refrained due to security concerns," he added.

The stalemate ended after the Pakistan government instructed the national side to take the field against India.

The decision came after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the outcomes of high-level talks between the PCB, the International Cricket Council, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Hectic parleys find solution

Pakistan had earlier decided not to play against arch-rivals India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were ousted from the tournament for refusing to play its matches in India citing security concerns.

Earlier, the Pakistani prime minister reached out to Dissanayake to discuss the matter and solve it amicably.

"This evening, the prime minister spoke with the President of Sri Lanka who requested to accord serious consideration to resolving the current impasse amicably. In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan directs the national cricket team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," an official statement from the government of Pakistan said.