ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup game against India and was directed to “take the field” in Colombo next Sunday.
A weeklong impasse ended on Monday, a day after International Cricket Council director Imran Khawaja and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam arrived in Lahore to talk with the Pakistan Cricket Board about reinstating the biggest and richest game in cricket.
Back-channel talks reached the highest level, and the Pakistan government announced on X, “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”
The ICC said: “It was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success.”
After Bangladesh was booted from the World Cup two weeks ago when the ICC dismissed its security concerns about playing in India, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi decried the ICC's “double standards” and “injustice.” The Pakistan government told its cricket board to boycott the India group game in solidarity with Bangladesh.
But the consequences of no Pakistan-India game threatened current and future TV rights deals and ICC funding of the global game.
The Pakistan government noted in its statement that the PCB was formally asked by ICC members including Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates to end the boycott. On Monday, Bangladesh's Islam requested the match go ahead “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem."
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan's efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period,” Islam said. “Long may our brotherhood flourish.”
The ICC eased its stance on Monday when it said it would not penalize Bangladesh for missing the T20 World Cup for the first time. The ICC added Bangladesh had the right to approach the dispute resolution committee “should it choose to do so.”
Naqvi then announced a decision by Pakistan within 48 hours, but the final clincher appeared to come from a phone call on Monday evening between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
World Cup co-host Sri Lanka is hosting Pakistan for all of its matches.
The Pakistan government said Dissanayake asked Sharif “to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.”
Sharif green-lit the India matchup again and gave his best wishes to the “Men in Green,” who have already started the World Cup with a win over the Netherlands.
Bangladesh will be awarded a global tournament before the men's World Cup in 2031, the ICC said.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in a statement that Bangladesh's absence from the T20 World Cup “is regrettable but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed, right, and teammate Babar Azam celebrate the wicket of Netherlands' captain Scott Edwards during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Netherlands and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Portland, which is welcoming a WNBA team back to the city after 24 years, selected veteran forward Bridget Carleton with the first pick in Friday's expansion draft.
Guard Julie Allemand, who played last season for the Los Angeles Sparks, was selected by the Toronto Tempo with its first pick.
The Tempo won a coin flip and opted to take the sixth pick in the college draft on April 13 over the top pick in the expansion draft. So Portland went first on Friday and will have the seventh pick in the college draft.
Carleton, who has played for the last seven seasons for the Minnesota Lynx and averaged 6.5 points and 3.6 rebounds a game last season off the bench, was an unrestricted free agent.
“Once we finalized our process, and zoomed in on Bridget, and knew we had our first expansion pick, it was obvious we did not want to have Toronto hold our destiny in their hands," Portland general manger Vanja Cernivec said.
Allemand averaged 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5 assists in 34 games last season.
“This group gives us the ability to compete from day one while continuing to build, and embraces the opportunity to help shape something new in a new country as Canada’s first WNBA team,” Toronto general manager Monica Wright Rogers said.
The league's teams protected five players apiece ahead of the expansion draft but those lists were not made public, leading to speculation about which players were available.
On Wednesday, the Chicago Sky announced trades with the Tempo and the Fire, which prevented the expansion teams from selecting Sky players. In exchange, the Fire got the No. 17 pick in the college draft and the No. 26 pick went to the Tempo.
The expansion draft had two rounds, with up to six picks for each team in each round. The teams alternated picks, with the Tempo picking first in the second round after the Fire got the first overall selection.
Teams could only lose two players to the expansion draft. If a player was taken in the first round, a second player from that same franchise couldn't be taken until the second round.
Following Allemand, the Tempo selected center Nyara Sabally from the Liberty, guard Marina Mabrey from the Sun, forward Aaliya Nye from the Aces, guard Lexi Held from the Mercury, and forward Maria Conde from the Valkyries.
In the second round the Tempo selected forward Maria Kliundikova from the Lynx, center Adja Kane from the Liberty, center Nikolina Milic from the Sun, guard Kitija Laksa from the Mercury, and guard Kristy Wallace from the Fever.
After Carleton, the Portland Fire selected guard Carla Leite from the Valkyries, center Luisa Geiselsoder from the Stars, forward Emily Engstler from the Mystics, guard Maya Caldwell from the Dream and forward Chloe Bibby from the Fever.
In the second round Portland took guard Haley Jones from the Wings, forward Nyadiew Puoch from the Dream, guard Sara Ashlee Barker from the Sparks, guard Sug Sutton from the Mystics and guard Nika Muhl from the Storm.
Mabry was also an unrestricted free agent. Each team was allowed to pick only one unrestricted free agent.
The teams still do not know when free agency will open. More than 80% of the players are free agents this year, as many players have expiring contracts or opted out of the previous collective bargaining agreement.
The college draft is set for April 13 and training camps open on April 19. The season will start on May 8.
The Tempo and Fire join the WNBA as the league's 14th and 15th teams. Portland previously had a WNBA team, also called the Fire, that played from 2000 to 2002.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Toronto Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers, right, and assistant general manager Eli Horowitz pose for a photo after speaking to media following the WNBA Expansion Draft in Toronto, Friday, April 3, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)
FILE - Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton (6) dribbles the ball up court against the Phoenix Mercury during the second half of Game 2 of a WNBA basketball playoff semifinals series Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn, File)
