The delegation, led by ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja, representing the Singapore Cricket Association, is expected to land at 4:30 PM to mediate the standoff that threatens to overshadow the ongoing 20-team tournament.
Joining the discussions is Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chairman Aminul Islam, who reportedly landed in Lahore to meet PCB counterpart Mohsin Naqvi before returning to Bangladesh later in the evening.
The diplomatic intervention comes days after reports suggested the ICC was exploring back-channel efforts to resolve the deadlock. Khawaja has been tasked with persuading Pakistan to reconsider its boycott of the high-profile clash.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly endorsed the decision to bar the national team from facing arch-rivals India. Speaking to the federal cabinet, Sharif described the move as “appropriate” and the result of “careful deliberation,” emphasizing that “politics should be eradicated from sports.”
“We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India,” the PM stated.
With the tournament already underway since February 7, the ICC is racing against time to safeguard the World Cup’s most commercially significant fixture.
