Who is Imran Khwaja? ICC mediator from Singapore facing three serious clauses during Indo-Pak political rage

The fire is burning—Bangladesh walking added more flames to the already existing rage between India and Pakistan. In such a situation, ICC required a calm voice, and Imran Khwaja stepped in. In the ICC setup, Khwaja is considered one of the influential personalities who has the ability to talk to the powers and someone who can pour water on the fire.

Recently, in the 2026 T20 World Cup, before the fire reached the ceiling, Khwaja was called up again. Pakistan has been repeatedly calling to boycott the India game on February 15 at Colombo. ICC asked Khwaja to handle the issue. There were reports of Khawaja undergoing back-channel talks with Pakistan to at least take the field, and he has even attended long meetings in Lahore The meeting's clauses are something serious, as it will be testing Khwaja's long-standing tag, the "ICC powerbroker."

Who is Imran Khwaja?

Since 2017, Imran Khwaja has held the position of the Deputy Chairman of the International Cricket Council. A Singaporean lawyer and a former president of the Singapore Cricket Association, he is widely regarded as a powerful "fixer" and neutral mediator within the global cricket community.

He first came to the ICC board in 2008, and since then he has been an influential voice of the Associate Member nations. Not only that, he was an important face when ICC drafted the ICC Constitution in 2014, aiming to create a more democratic structure for smaller nations.

In 2020, he was the serving interim ICC chairman after Shashank Manohar stepped down. Notably, he then became the first person from Singapore to hold the post. It was a crucial time for ICC, as the cricket world was disrupted by the pandemic, but Khwaja didn't clench.  He has been repeatedly re-elected as Deputy Chairman, most recently in late 2024 for a tenure running alongside Jay Shah's chairmanship.

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Khwaja's role in Indo-Pak tensions: What did Pakistan ask?

The ICC Chairman Jay Shah has asked Khwaja to mediate the situation and somehow bring Pakistan to the field against India. Khwaja has been asked to take a far more diplomatic stance, persuading Pakistan to reconsider the "selective participation" approach.

On February 8, 2026, Khwaja held a five-hour marathon meeting at Gaddafi Stadium with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam to break the deadlock.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, as reported by Telecom Asia Sport, has put forward some serious clauses for agreeing to the ICC terms. The clauses are:

1. Increased revenue: Pakistan has requested an increase in its annual share of ICC revenue, arguing that its commercial contribution to global cricket events—particularly the value of India-Pakistan fixtures—is not adequately reflected in the current distribution model.
2. Handshake Protocol: The no-handshake drama that started in the 2026 Asia Cup needs to be demolished, and the pre-game handshake protocol between India and Pakistan needs to be reinstated.

Pakistan even acted as a voice of Bangladesh to ICC, and placed two more clauses for the ally.  They are:

1. Increased compensation and a participation fee for Bangladesh despite their ouster from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
2. Hosting rights for a future ICC event for Bangladesh (such as the 2028 Under-19 World Cup) to offset financial losses from being removed as a 2026 co-host.

What’s at Stake:

A potential match cancellation could cause nearly $500 million in losses for the ICC and broadcasters. If a boycott goes ahead, the ICC may impose strict sanctions on the PCB, including suspension, heavy fines, and forfeiture of match points and net run rate. A final PCB decision is expected within 24 hours.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is likely to hold talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the next 24 hours to convey the ICC’s conditions and take a final call on the February 15 fixture.