T20 World Cup 2026: ICC, PCB in talks after Pakistan invokes Force Majeure over India clash

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have entered into discussions over the February 15 impasse after the PCB invoked the Force Majeure (FM) clause. The two parties are understood to be in talks regarding the marquee clash involving the arch-rivals, with ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta leading the negotiations.

According to Cricbuzz, the ICC CEO arrived in Colombo on Saturday, with formal dialogue commencing soon after the global governing body responded to a communication from the PCB. In its response, the ICC highlighted the potential damages it could claim in the event of non-compliance or failure to fulfil participation obligations.

Sources close to the development revealed that the ICC wrote to the PCB seeking clarification on the invocation of the Force Majeure clause as outlined in the Terms of Participation. The ICC reportedly asked the PCB to detail the specific steps it had taken to mitigate the situation before resorting to a force majeure claim. This exchange of correspondence began after the PCB formally informed the ICC of its intention to boycott the fixture a few days ago, citing a directive from the Pakistan government as the reason for invoking the clause.

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Further sources indicated that the ICC’s communication clearly outlined the conditions under which force majeure could be legitimately and realistically invoked. The email also specified the evidentiary threshold required to justify non-participation, while drawing attention to the potential sporting, commercial, and governance consequences such a decision could entail.

The ICC has reiterated its commitment to process, precedent, and contractual sanctity while continuing to emphasise the importance of dialogue without compromising its position. Sources say, in line with its original public statement, ICC has kept channels of dialogue open.

"The interest of the game supersedes unilateral action; consistency with precedence and concern for precedent linked challenges in the future remains. ICC, while dealing first with Bangladesh and then with Pakistan, the ICc has acted with neutrality and fairness with the intention of preserving the sanctity of its global events and governance. It has prioritised dialogue over dispute, put fan and player welfare first and ensured objectivity is at the heart of its decision-making," said the source as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Following the public announcement by the Pakistan government last Sunday, the ICC issued a formal statement reaffirming its commitment to the official tournament framework and highlighting concerns over the inconsistency in Pakistan’s approach to a global sporting event due to selective participation.