The confirmation came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave the green light for his team's participation, ending a ten-day standoff that had threatened to overshadow cricket's biggest tournament.
The breakthrough followed a marathon tripartite meeting on Sunday night in Lahore involving the ICC, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi briefed PM Sharif on the outcomes of the discussions, and the Prime Minister wasted no time in issuing the directive.
"Following the ICC press release, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Pakistani cricket team to play the match against India on February 15," PCB spokesperson Amir Mir confirmed in an official statement shared on social media.
However, despite the high-profile diplomatic push, Pakistan did not come away with any major concessions from the negotiations.
The boycott, which was announced by the Pakistan government on February 1 in solidarity with Bangladesh's exclusion from the tournament, ultimately ended without the PCB securing the kind of gains it had hoped for during Sunday's talks.
It has also emerged that PM Sharif spoke directly with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to inform him of the decision. Sri Lanka Cricket had earlier written to the PCB, urging them not to boycott the fixture.
In a strongly-worded appeal, SLC had warned of heavy financial losses for the island nation and reminded Pakistan of the times when they faced international isolation due to security concerns — and how Sri Lanka stood firmly by them on the cricket field during those difficult years.
No Sanctions On Bangladesh; ICC Event Hosting Confirmed
In a significant parallel development, the ICC announced that it would take a lenient approach towards Bangladesh, despite the BCB's refusal to play their matches in India which led to their replacement by Scotland. The world body confirmed that no financial, sporting, or administrative penalty would be imposed on the BCB.
The ICC also acknowledged that Bangladesh retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) for redressal if it chooses to do so. "The ICC's approach is guided by its principles of neutrality and fairness and reflects the shared objective of facilitative support rather than punishment," the governing body said in its statement.
As part of the understanding reached between the three parties, Bangladesh have been awarded hosting rights for an ICC event prior to the 2031 Men's Cricket World Cup, which is already set to be co-hosted by India and Bangladesh. This arrangement is subject to standard ICC hosting processes and timelines.
This outcome proved to be the turning point. With Bangladesh's concerns addressed, BCB president Aminul Islam issued a formal appeal to Pakistan, effectively removing the basis for the boycott.
"Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem," Islam said in a statement, opening the door for Pakistan's return to the fixture they had threatened to forfeit.
With the off-field crisis now resolved, the cricketing world can turn its attention to what truly matters — an India-Pakistan contest under the Colombo lights on a Sunday evening. Both sides have won their opening games, and the February 15 encounter promises to be the highlight of the group stage.
Game on.
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