Overview
- Colombo officials say the event is a top priority, pledging neutrality and deploying elite commando protection for fixtures involving India and Pakistan, including the February 15 clash in Sri Lanka.
- Pakistan has named its squad, set travel for Colombo on February 2, and captain Salman Ali Agha says he will bat at No. 3, signaling preparations despite the pending board announcement.
- Reports in Pakistan media suggest a possible forfeiture of only the India match rather than a full withdrawal, though such scenarios remain unconfirmed.
- Sri Lanka will host Pakistan’s World Cup games under a pre-agreed neutral venue arrangement for India–Pakistan fixtures, with 20 matches scheduled on the island.
- Bangladesh’s separate clearance for a two-member shooting team to compete in New Delhi underscores how authorities are allowing controlled events even as cricket travel was refused by the BCB.