Sri Lanka steps in and clears way for India–Pakistan T20 World Cup match in Colombo

A telephone telephone betwixt Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif connected Monday (February 9, 2026) nighttime appears to person been the game-changer successful convincing Pakistan to play India successful the scheduled T20 World Cup lucifer successful Colombo.

Deciding to play peacemaker, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reached retired to the Pakistani authorities connected Sunday (February 8) done the 2 precocious commissions successful Colombo and Islamabad. After swift discussions, a telephone betwixt President Dissanayake and PM Sharif was scheduled Monday night. “The telephone telephone betwixt the President and Prime Minister lasted astir 30 minutes,” Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told The Hindu Tuesday morning, adding: “it’s cricket diplomacy!”    

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While Sri Lanka initiated a telephone betwixt the leaders, Bangladesh, too, had made ceremonial requests to the Pakistan Cricket Board, according to a station by the Government of Pakistan connected societal media level ‘X’. “The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the ceremonial requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, arsenic good arsenic the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and different subordinate nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s enactment successful securing a viable solution to caller challenges,” the station said. It referred to a “warm and affable conversation” betwixt President Dissanayake and PM Sharif, successful which they “recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had ever stood enarthrosis to shoulder, particularly during challenging times.” The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord superior information to amicably resoluteness the impasse, it said.

President Dissanayake wrote connected societal media level ‘X’ astir midnight, “Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan lucifer astatine the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup successful Colombo volition proceed arsenic planned. As co-host of the tournament, Sri Lanka acknowledgment the ICC and each acrophobic for their efforts. Sri Lanka hasn’t forgotten the solidarity shown by some India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup, erstwhile they played successful Colombo astatine a clip erstwhile others refrained owed to information concerns.”

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a connection precocious Monday (February 9) nighttime confirming the development. “The dialog betwixt ICC and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took spot arsenic portion of a broader engagement, with some parties recognising the request for constructive dealings and being united, committed and purposeful successful their aspirations to service the champion interests of the crippled with integrity, neutrality and cooperation,” it said.