Pakistan's cricket team will play against India in the T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo, reversing an earlier decision to boycott the high-profile match. The decision to boycott was initially made due to geopolitical tensions.

The Pakistan government officially withdrew its boycott on Monday evening, allowing the match to proceed as scheduled. "In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan national cricket team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," a statement said. The government added that this decision was taken to protect the spirit of cricket and to support the continuity of the sport globally.

According to sources, the turnaround followed negotiations between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). Bangladesh, initially replaced in the T20 World Cup for refusing to play in India, was also involved in the negotiation and requested Pakistan to reconsider their boycott.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the country's cricket team to play India in the T20 World Cup, ending a week-long standoff. He posted on X that the decision was made after multilateral discussions and requests from friendly countries.

Matches between India and Pakistan are highly anticipated and lucrative, generating millions in broadcast, sponsor, and advertising revenue. JioStar, an Indian media conglomerate, paid $3 billion to screen all ICC tournaments from 2024 to 2027 in India, contingent upon the inclusion of at least one India-Pakistan match. The teams are typically placed in the same group for major tournaments, though matches are held on neutral ground due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The absence of this fixture from global tournaments could threaten future revenues, potentially impacting smaller nations that rely on ICC distributions.

Several cricket boards, including Sri Lanka Cricket, the Emirates Cricket Board, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, reportedly requested the PCB to play the match against India. The ICC also announced that no penalties would be imposed on Bangladesh, with an agreement reached for Bangladesh to host an ICC event before the 2031 Men's Cricket World Cup.