T20 World Cup 2026: 'All kudos to ICC' - BCCI's Rajeev Shukla thanks apex body for reinstating India-Pakistan match

The long-standing dispute surrounding the high-profile India versus Pakistan clash in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has finally been resolved, with the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming their participation in the scheduled fixture on February 15 at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium after their Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave the green signal to take part in the clash against the arch-rivals.

Reacting to the development, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla expressed his satisfaction and praised the International Cricket Council (ICC) for successfully finding a positive end to the saga. Speaking on the outcome of the deliberations, Shukla highlighted the efforts made by ICC representatives, who held discussions with both the PCB and the Bangladesh Cricket Board to resolve the issue.

“I am delighted to see the outcome of the deliberations initiated by ICC representative, supervised by the ICC Chairman and the representatives who had gone to Lahore to talk to Pakistan Cricket Board as well as Bangladesh Cricket Board,” Shukla was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

“It’s a good solution, an amicable solution which has been found to give priority to cricket’s importance in the game. This is what has been done. So all kudos to ICC for taking this initiative, resolving the whole issue and bringing cricket back to the forefront,” he added.

The BCCI vice-president further underlined that the ICC deserves credit for facilitating dialogue and ensuring Pakistan’s participation in the marquee clash, which is one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament.

“This is a big achievement as far as ICC is concerned. So I would like to thank ICC for taking this initiative and bringing Pakistan to the table, ultimately deciding for Pakistan to play in the Colombo match,” Shukla stated.

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Now this World Cup will also be a big success story: Shukla

Confirming that the February 15 encounter will go ahead as planned, Shukla described the development as good news for fans and stakeholders alike, expressing confidence that it would contribute to the overall success of the World Cup.

“It’s good news for all of us and the scheduled match for 15th February in Colombo will take place. Pakistan will also play. So now this World Cup will also be a big success story. It’s a win-win situation for everybody and I’m happy that the match would take place and World Cup will be a successful event,” he concluded.

Before facing Pakistan, the Men in Blue have a Group A encounter scheduled against Namibia on February 12, whereas the Agha Salman-led side will be taking on the United States of America, with an aim to avenge their loss from the 2024 edition.