Mubashshir Usmani (right) is Emirates Cricket Board general secretary during UAE’s T20 World Cup jersey launch in Dubai.

NEW DELHI: A week-long impasse ended on Monday after Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott their T20 World Cup game against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.However, before the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reached a resolution, a stalemate arose around 7:30 pm IST on Monday evening.

TimesofIndia.com can confirm that Mubashshir Usmani, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) general secretary, was a key figure in the negotiations to get Sunday’s fixture between India and Pakistan back on track.An ICC delegation led by deputy chair Imran Khwaja and BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul had travelled to Lahore to discuss the situation with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.However, Mubashshir, who was in London, was hurriedly called back and asked to join the conversation from Dubai. Mubashshir was chosen to mediate as the ECB enjoys strong relationships with all parties involved.It was indeed monumental for the ICC to have the India-Pakistan match go ahead on the scheduled date, and had the fixture not proceeded as planned, there would have been repercussions for all parties.This is where Mubashshir , also an ICC Associate Member Director, played a pivotal role in diffusing the tension.Mubashshir was not part of the original travelling delegation but later joined the talks, lending crucial weight to the negotiations. Those involved believe his intervention played a key role in easing tensions. He underlined the severe financial fallout a boycott would trigger, warning that the loss of broadcast and advertising revenue would be felt across the cricketing ecosystem, particularly by Associate and non-Test nations such as the UAE.The UAE’s ties with both India and Pakistan run deep. International cricket took root in the country in the early 1980s, when India and Pakistan were invited to play at the newly built Sharjah Stadium. Since then, the UAE has repeatedly served as a trusted neutral venue during periods of difficulty for both boards.For nearly a decade, Pakistan made the UAE its home base when security concerns prevented teams from touring the country. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was launched there and even returned during the COVID-19 pandemic. The UAE has also hosted the Indian Premier League (IPL) on multiple occasions, first due to India’s General Elections and later during the pandemic.Dubai, in particular, has often been India’s base for tournaments requiring neutral venues, including all of India’s matches at last year’s Champions Trophy.It is learnt that after all the parties got what they wanted, Mubashshir, helped all the stakeholders tick their boxes.Back-channel talks reached the highest level, and the Pakistan government announced on X, “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.“Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”The ICC said, “It was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success.”

What triggered the stand-off?

Two weeks ago, Bangladesh were excluded from the T20 World Cup after the ICC rejected their security concerns over travelling to India. In the aftermath, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi criticised the ICC for what he termed “double standards” and “injustice,” following which the Pakistan government instructed the board to boycott the group-stage match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh.However, the prospect of an India-Pakistan no-show raised alarm over the potential impact on broadcast revenues, future media rights agreements and the ICC’s funding model. In its statement, the Pakistan government acknowledged that the PCB had received formal appeals from fellow ICC members, including Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, urging a resolution. BCB president Aminul Islam, too, called for the fixture to be played “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem.”“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period,” Islam said. “Long may our brotherhood flourish.”The ICC eased its stance on Monday when it said it would not penalise Bangladesh for missing the T20 World Cup for the first time. The ICC added that Bangladesh retained the right to approach the dispute resolution committee should it choose to do so.

Bangladesh will be awarded a global tournament before the men’s World Cup in 2031, the ICC said.ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in a statement that Bangladesh’s absence from the T20 World Cup “is regrettable but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation.”Pakistan has won both of its matches in the T20 World Cup, while India will take on Namibia on Thursday. It will be followed by the blockbuster contest in Colombo.