Pakistan’s decision to play India helps ICC save $174m

Pakistan vs India – (Web Desk) – Pakistan’s decision to go ahead with its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash against long-time rival India has reportedly saved the International Cricket Council (ICC) around $174 million, according to Indian media reports. The figure includes revenue from broadcasters, ticket sales, and major sponsorships that could have been lost if the high-profile match had been called off.

Reports also suggest the match’s confirmation had an instant impact on travel and tourism, with airfares between Mumbai and Colombo jumping sharply. Ticket prices reportedly rose from INR 10,000 to as high as INR 60,000 following the announcement.

The development came after the federal government confirmed on Monday that Pakistan will face India as scheduled on February 15 in Colombo.

 “The government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the BCB, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations,” read a statement issued by the government.

The hotel industry in Colombo welcomed the decision, anticipating increased bookings and business from visiting cricket fans.

However, the announcement also prompted confusion among some fans who had previously cancelled hotel reservations or boycotted the Pakistan match. Many are now contacting hotels to rebook or inquire about refund policies, while others seek clarification on ticket refunds for the Pakistan-India encounter.

For the unversed, Pakistan had initially boycotted the India clash following the BCCI-BCB saga as the tensions flared between the cricket boards of Bangladesh and India after Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the direction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sparking outrage in Dhaka.

Later, the BCB requested the ICC to shift its matches outside India, but the international cricket body rejected the plea.

ICC Issues Key Statement on Pakistan–India Match

Following the BCB’s firm stance, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the event.

The PCB, however, reacted strongly to the ICC’s decision and instead decided to boycott its India match over bias against Bangladesh.