Pakistan puts up three major conditions to play against India: Reports

Amid the ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan over their proposed T20 World Cup clash, Pakistan is reported to have softened its earlier boycott stance and placed a set of conditions before the International Cricket Council (ICC) to agree to play India in the ongoing T20 World Cup, signalling a possible shift in its position.

The development follows a high-level meeting held late on Sunday night at Lahore's Gaddafi stadium involving ICC vice president Imran Khawaja, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul. The discussions were aimed at salvaging the high-profile India–Pakistan clash scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.

​According to reports, while no final agreement was reached, Pakistan submitted a list of demands to the ICC. These reportedly include seeking greater revenue or compensation from the world body, an increase in participation fees or special allowance, and assurance regarding the future hosting rights of ICC tournaments.

Pakistan also asked to resume bilateral cricket ties with India, along with other conditions linked to on-field conduct, like Indian players should shake hands with Pakistani players in the T20 World Cup, according to reports.

​The reported move marks a shift from Pakistan’s earlier hardline position. A few days ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would not play with India in the World Cup. However, experts noted that a complete boycott could lead to significant financial losses for the PCB, especially given the country’s economic challenges.

The conditional approach has raised the possibility that the much-anticipated India–Pakistan encounter could still take place as scheduled. Both teams have had mixed starts to their campaigns, with Pakistan narrowly defeating the Netherlands and India scraping past the United States.