India, Feb. 8 -- The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) denied reports that it had approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to initiate negotiations on the issue pertaining to the T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Last Sunday, the Government of Pakistan shocked the world by announcing that the team wouldn't be allowed to take the field against the arch-rival in the 20-team competition. The decision was taken to show support for Bangladesh, which was ousted from the competition after refusing to travel to India due to security concerns. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also confirmed the same a few days later.

The ICC issued a statement at first, calling on Pakistan to reconsider its...