The International Cricket Council (ICC) handed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) a massive ultimatum today. The Council threatened immediate legal action and $35 million in financial penalties.
This tension follows a directive from the Pakistani government, which told its national team to skip their big T20 World Cup match against India. Officials scheduled that game for February 15 in Colombo. Things are getting heated as cricket’s leadership tries to keep its biggest tournament on track amid a diplomatic standoff.
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Sources say the ICC is ready to pull Pakistan’s entire yearly revenue share. That share is worth about $35 million. The ICC would use that money to pay back official broadcasters. JioStar, which holds the broadcast rights, reportedly plans to sue both the PCB and ICC if the teams do not play.
This single match accounts for a huge chunk of the tournament’s prize money. If it is cancelled, everyone involved takes a major financial hit. Because of this, the ICC has signalled that picking and choosing which games to play breaks the rules for full members. These actions might end with the ICC suspending Pakistan from international cricket.
The crisis began because Islamabad wanted to strike back. Pakistani oC fficials cite solidarity with Bangladesh and hate the ICC’s double standards. The ICC recently removed Bangladesh from the tournament and replaced them with Scotland due to security concerns.
The PCB thinks that move was unfair. On top of that, there is still bad blood from the 2025 Champions Trophy. Back then, the ICC made Pakistan use a hybrid model after India refused to travel across the border.
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PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is now stuck between a rock and a hard place. He must decide whether to ignore his government or let his board go broke. If Pakistan does not show up on February 15, the ICC’s legal team probably will not show any mercy.
A global ban is now a real possibility. That threat could leave Pakistan totally alone in the cricket world. With only a few days left before the game, this standoff might just wreck the global setup of the whole sport.
