Pakistan is set to withdraw its boycott of the T20 World Cup match against India after being urged to do so by Bangladesh with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi saying an announcement on the lingering issue can be expected in the next 24 hours.
Acknowledging hectic parleys with the ICC, also involving his Bangladesh counterpart Aminul Islam, Naqvi on Monday said the PCB was waiting for a response from the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on certain issues. The game against India is scheduled to be held in Colombo on February 15.
Media reports here said Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif also received a call from Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who too urged him to withdraw the boycott call. Geo News reported that Sharif responded to the request by assuring that Pakistan would play against India. Naqvi, however, said it would take another day to reach a final decision.
“We have had discussions with them. It would not be right for me to make any comments right now. Once we get their response, we will decide. We will go back to the PM for advice once the ICC replies,” Naqvi said. “An announcement will come tomorrow or day after tomorrow,” he said.
“We respect our guests. The ICC came to our house so we respected them. At this point of time, we cannot say much as negotiations between the ICC and Bangladesh are ongoing. Bangladesh’s stance was valid so we had to back them,” he added.
Bangladesh have been ousted from the tournament for refusing to play in India citing security concerns. BCB chief Islam issued a statement in Dhaka, expressing his gratitude towards Pakistan for backing his country but requested that the team show up for the high-profile game for the greater good of the sport.
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” Islam said in a statement.
“Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket eco system,” he added.
Soon after, the ICC issued a statement of its own in Dubai, saying that it would not be penalising Bangladesh for its refusal to play in India. The country was ultimately replaced by Scotland in the tournament roster. “It is agreed that no financial, sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board in relation to the current matter,” stated a press release from the world body.
“It is acknowledged that BCB retains the right to approach the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), should it choose to do so. This right exists under current ICC regulations and remains intact,” it added. In addition, the ICC also agreed to give the hosting rights of a global event to Bangladesh between 2028 and 2031. Naqvi brushed aside suggestions that the PCB was under pressure due to ICC’s warning of punitive action.
“You know we are not ones to be afraid of these threats at all. Everyone knows our Field Marshall (Asim Munir). We are not worried about any sanctions,” he said.
It is understood that during his meeting with ICC deputy chair Imran Khawaja on Sunday, Naqvi had kept a few demands, including resumption of Indo-Pak bilateral cricket and a tri-series involving Bangladesh, to offset the losses that the BCB has incurred following their shocking ouster from the global event.
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