PNN: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ensuring that Pakistan will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India.
Sharing a message on social media, President Dissanayake wrote: “Thank you Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz for ensuring the game we all love goes on. Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as planned.”
He added, “As co-host of the tournament, Sri Lanka thanks the @ICC and all concerned for their efforts. Sri Lanka hasn’t forgotten the solidarity shown by both India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup, when they played in Colombo at a time when others refrained due to security concerns.”
On Monday night, the Government of Pakistan announced that the national team will participate in the scheduled T20 World Cup match against India. The decision formally confirmed Pakistan’s participation in the fixture on February 15 in Sri Lanka, ending weeks of speculation regarding the team’s travel and involvement.
The government also expressed solidarity with Bangladesh while granting permission for the Pakistani team to play the high-profile match.