LAHORE: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam has arrived in Pakistan in the wake of Pakistan’s announcement to boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, sources said on Sunday.

Sources said the BCB chief will attend the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) emergency virtual meeting later today, with other board members also expected to participate.

Islam is also scheduled to meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi before departing for Dhaka, the sources added.

The development comes after Pakistan decided to boycott its World Cup fixture against India, set for February 15, citing what the PCB described as the ICC’s biased approach. Bangladesh has emerged as a central party in the dispute.

Tensions escalated between the cricket boards of Bangladesh and India after Bangladesh’s star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the directions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), triggering anger in Dhaka.

Subsequently, the BCB requested the ICC to shift its matches outside India, but the plea was rejected. Following Bangladesh’s stance, the ICC reportedly replaced the team with Scotland in the tournament, citing the difficulty of altering the schedule so close to the February 7 start date.

Meanwhile, the PCB dismissed Indian media reports suggesting it had offered dialogue to the ICC over its decision to forfeit the India match. PCB spokesperson Amir Mir issued a rebuttal after Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta claimed that the PCB had reached out for talks.

Any India-Pakistan clash is considered among the most lucrative fixtures in world cricket, generating massive broadcast, sponsorship and advertising revenue. Industry estimates suggest a single India-Pakistan T20 match can be valued at around $500 million, with advertising slots commanding significantly higher rates than other fixtures.

The BCB chief’s visit is also being viewed in the context of reports that the ICC may be seeking back-channel engagement with the PCB to resolve the escalating dispute.