'Jay Shah’s leadership and guidance helped overcome the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup impasse': ICC Director Mubashshir Usmani

The build-up to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka was dominated not by on-field rivalries, but by a tense administrative standoff that threatened to derail the tournament’s biggest fixture — India vs Pakistan. For weeks, uncertainty loomed over whether cricket’s most commercially powerful contest would take place.

In this TimesofIndia.com exclusive, ICC Associate Member Director Mubashshir Usmani offers a rare behind-the-scenes account of how the deadlock was broken and why the stakes extended far beyond a single match.


He credits the leadership of Jay Shah and the coordination efforts of ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta in navigating complex negotiations involving multiple boards.

Q. What happened exactly in the resolution of the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup deadlock?Mubashshir Usmani: It was definitely not an easy task. However, full credit must go to all stakeholders for remaining flexible and working towards a resolution. I must thank ICC Chair Mr. Jay Shah whose visionary leadership ensured that cricket world avoided a major setback. Behind the scenes, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta worked closely with PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) and BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) and I must say that Sanjog has been instrumental in stitching this resolution.

Q. How important is an India vs Pakistan match for cricket’s eco-system?

Usmani: Everyone knows the importance of an India vs Pakistan match especially in an ICC event. It is not only about the revenues it is also about fans and the overall profile of an event since the game is the biggest sporting spectacle in the world which keeps billions around the world on the edge of their seats. So, cricket would have been the ultimate loser had the India vs Pakistan match not taken place.

Q. How important was this game for the Associate countries?

Usmani: Associate Members rely heavily on ICC funding which is generated through ICC events. For some Associates, ICC funding is nothing short of a lifeline. So, it was extremely important that the India vs Pakistan game took place or else a reduction in ICC revenues would have meant reduced funding for Associates and that would have been catastrophic for the sustenance and growth of the game.

Q. What is future of ICC with regards to Olympics etc?

Usmani: Again, I must appreciate and recognise the visionary leadership of Mr. Jay Shah who has been working day and night to take ICC to newer territories. Cricket in Olympics under his Chairmanship demonstrates the forward thinking of ICC. I see a very bright future for ICC under Mr. Jay Shah and wish him all the best in taking ICC to newer heights. I assure full cooperation of all Associate Members in the implementation of his vision.

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.