Islamabad, Feb 10 (NationPress) The Pakistan Government has reversed its former position, now permitting the men's cricket team to compete against India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup scheduled for February 15.

Initially, the government had instructed the team to abstain from the match against its long-standing rival, India, as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh. The latter was ousted from the ICC T20 World Cup and substituted by Scotland after its request to move matches from India to Sri Lanka was denied by the ICC.

However, following the ICC's firm response to Pakistan's threat of a boycott concerning the India match, coupled with appeals from both the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Sri Lankan government urging Pakistan to rethink its decision, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has granted approval for the men's team to participate in the match.

The Pakistani government stated that the decision to allow the team to play on February 15 was influenced by requests from both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"The Government of Pakistan has carefully evaluated the formal requests made to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, along with supportive communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan's leadership in finding a workable solution to the recent challenges," the Pakistan Government stated.

"The Government also acknowledged the remarks made by BCB President, Mr. Aminul Islam. The heartfelt gratitude expressed by our brotherly nation was received with great appreciation. Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to standing alongside Bangladesh.

"This evening, the Prime Minister engaged in a phone conversation with H.E Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. Their cordial discussion recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka have consistently supported each other, particularly during trying times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to earnestly consider resolving the current deadlock amicably.

"Considering the outcomes from multilateral discussions, along with the requests from friendly nations, the Government of Pakistan hereby instructs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to participate in the match scheduled for February 15, 2026, in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," stated a release from the Pakistan Government late on Monday.

The tension between the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board began on February 1 when Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had authorized the team to participate in the World Cup but prohibited them from playing against India in Colombo.

Pakistan's potential boycott arose following the standoff between the ICC and Bangladesh, which escalated last month. The ICC rejected Bangladesh's appeal to relocate their matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka due to security concerns, resulting in their replacement by Scotland.

The Pakistani team is currently in Sri Lanka and is set to play its second Group A match against the United States on Tuesday.