Jay Shah summoned by Pakistan for discussions with Shehbaz Sharif amid India-Pakistan controversy

The T20 World Cup 2026 has turned into a major controversy, with cricket now stuck between politics, money, and power. At the centre of the storm is the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah, who is being accused of unfair treatment of Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Ihsan Mani calls Jay Shah for direct talks with Pakistan

Amidst the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 controversy, the former ICC and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani believes this issue cannot be solved behind closed doors. He wants Jay Shah to travel to Pakistan himself and speak directly with the Pakistan government.

Mani wants the ICC chairman to convince Pakistan to drop its decision to boycott the India vs Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. He also feels Shah, son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, should listen patiently to Pakistan’s concerns instead of ignoring them or handling the matter through others.

Bangladesh triggered the T20 World Cup 2026 drama

The T20 World Cup became a political battleground in the subcontinent, and it all started with Bangladesh. They refused to travel to India, saying it was not safe. Despite the repeated assurances and no security threat, Bangladesh remained firm on its stance, and the ICC removed them from the tournament and brought in Scotland as their replacement.

This decision caused anger in Pakistan. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistani government, called the move unfair. Soon after, the Pakistani government instructed the PCB not to play against India as a sign of support for Bangladesh.

Jay Shah should travel to Pakistan to end the India match boycott: Ehsan Mani

It is being said that the ICC deputy chairman Imran Khawaja has been asked to help settle the matter between the PCB and the ICC. However, Mani does not believe Khawaja is the right person for the job, saying this is a sensitive government-level issue and should be handled only by the ICC chairman Jay Shah himself through direct talks in Pakistan.

Ehsan Mani was quoted as saying by The Dawn: “He should go to Pakistan to convince the government to end the boycott and also listen to their grievances. It is better for the ICC chairman to deal with the government of Pakistan on his own.”

Crores at stake as India vs Pakistan remains uncertain

The situation is becoming more serious because a huge amount of money is involved. If the India vs Pakistan match does not happen, the ICC, BCCI, PCB, and other cricket boards could lose crores of rupees. Broadcasters and sponsors would also face major losses.

There is also a legal risk for Pakistan. The PCB has already signed the Members Participation Agreement for the World Cup. If Pakistan refuses to play, it could be seen as breaking that agreement and may lead to legal action from the global body and broadcasters.

Ehsan Mani says Pakistan’s case is “weak”

Ehsan Mani admitted that Pakistan’s case is not strong, as the Jay Shah-led ICC had already scheduled their matches in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model, which was meant to address safety concerns. Still, the former PCB chairman feels Pakistan can defend its position with a strong legal team.

He signed off by saying, “There may be some weakness in Pakistan’s case because the ICC shifted Pakistan’s matches from India to Sri Lanka (under the hybrid model), but a competent legal team can argue it effectively… The boycott of the India-Pakistan match may be a violation of members’ participating agreement (signed between PCB and the ICC), but the negative attitude of the BCCI is to blame, which forced Pakistan to take such a big decision.”

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Author: Rashmi Wasnik