Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that Pakistan’s negotiations with the International Cricket Council (ICC) were solely aimed at ensuring fair treatment and respect for Bangladesh.

Speaking about the recent talks, Naqvi said Pakistan placed no conditions of its own and had no personal or institutional agenda. “Our only objective was to highlight the injustice faced by Bangladesh and to ensure that it receives due respect,” he said.

He added that Pakistan raised the issue purely in support of Bangladesh and that the demands put forward by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) were accepted following the discussions.

The comments came after high-level talks were held in Lahore two days ago between the ICC, PCB and BCB regarding Pakistan’s proposed boycott of its T20 World Cup match against India.

The negotiations were attended by ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and BCB President Aminul Islam.

Following the meetings, the ICC issued a statement confirming that Bangladesh would not face any penalty for non-participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The ICC also announced that Bangladesh would be awarded hosting rights for an ICC event between 2028 and 2031.

Subsequently, both Sri Lanka and the Bangladesh Cricket Board requested Pakistan to reconsider its decision regarding the match against India. After consultations, the Government of Pakistan approved the national team’s participation in the fixture.

An Italian Winter Olympics broadcaster who was on the mic for the opening ceremony before the Milan Cortina Games began last week faced immense backlash and a strike call for numerous blunders during the show.

RaiSport director Paolo Petrecca had a night to forget after misidentifying singer Mariah Carey, mistaking the Olympics’ chief as the Italian president’s daughter and confusing the location of the opening ceremony were among some of the things that distressed fans and, apparently, journalists at the company.

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RaiSport journalists announced Monday that they would adopt protest measures, including strikes, once the Winter Olympics were over on Feb. 22.

A spokesperson for Rai, the Italian state-owned network that is broadcasting free-to-air coverage of its home Games, told The Associated Press that Petrecca was removed from commentary for the closing ceremony after meeting with CEO Giampaolo Rossi.

Petrecca welcomed viewers to Stadio Olimpico, which is located in Rome. The opening ceremony took place in the iconic soccer stadium, San Siro.

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Italian actor Matilda De Angelis performs during the Olympic opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

“The show continues with Mariah Carey,” Petrecca said as the camera panned to actress Matilda De Angelis. The actress took it in stride, writing in a subsequent Instagram post, “Please, call me Mariah.”

Italian President Sergio Mattarella walked into the stadium with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry to applause. The two were near U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha. Mattarella described Coventry as Mattarella’s daughter.

“We have all been embarrassed, no one excluded, and through no fault of our own,” a statement from the journalists’ union, Comitato di Redazione, read. “It is time to make our voices heard because we are facing the worst-ever figure of RaiSport in one of the most eagerly awaited events ever.”

The union said there would be three days of strikes after the Games were complete.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, left, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella, center, wave during the Olympic opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Petrecca was thrust into the commentary role, replacing Auro Bulbarelli, who removed himself after spoiling the surprise arrival of Mattarella aboard one of the city’s trams.

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For now, the anger appeared to have simmered but is expected to boil.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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• BCCI VP terms talks’ outcome “win-win situation for everybody”.
• Rajeev Shukla thanks ICC for efforts bringing together all parties.
• Senior Indian official expresses optimism for successful World Cup.

Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla has hailed the outcome of the talks between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), International Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over the T20 World Cup 2026.

“I am delighted to see the outcome of the deliberations [in Lahore],” Shukla said while speaking to the Indian media on Tuesday.

His remarks refer to Islamabad’s announcement of allowing the Green Shirts to play their scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo. 

Pakistan had earlier decided not to play against arch-rival India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were kicked out of the tournament after it refused to travel to India, citing security concerns.

After Pakistan’s announcement, the ICC’s deputy chairman travelled to Lahore on Sunday to discuss the situation with the PCB chief in a meeting attended by the BCB president.

However, in a statement on Monday, the government said that the decision to field the national side against India in the tournament was made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after being briefed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, the ICC and the BCB.

The decision, Islamabad has stressed, was taken to protect the spirit of cricket and support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.

Expanding on the development, BCCI VP Shukla termed it a “win-win situation for everybody” and thanked the ICC for its collaborative efforts to bring all the parties together.

“The ICC took steps to resolve the issue, and cricket has returned to the forefront. As far as the ICC is concerned, this is a major success.”

“The scheduling of the match on 15 February is good news,” he remarked.

The BCCI official underscored the positive outcomes for all stakeholders involved, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, and expressed optimism for a successful World Cup.

“Pakistan will play, and this World Cup will become an example of success. It is also good for Bangladesh, as their board was also given relief during the negotiations. The BCB is happy [….] The match will take place, and the World Cup will be a successful event,” Shukla added.