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After days of chaos and boycott threats from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in purported solidarity with Bangladesh, the issue now appears to be losing momentum. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has said a final decision will be announced by Monday, but media reports suggest that a boycott of the T20 World Cup, or even the high-profile match against India, is unlikely to materialise.
Naqvi met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday and placed all options on the table, with a final decision expected by the start of next week.
“Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options open. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” the PCB chief said in a social media post.
Hours before the post, speculation was rife in Pakistani media that the government was unlikely to allow the team to participate in the World Cup, in retaliation for the ICC’s handling of Bangladesh earlier this month. Multiple reports also suggested that, should Pakistan take part, the board could resort to symbolic gestures — including a possible boycott of the February 15 Group A match against India.
However, the prevailing view is that such steps are unlikely, with Pakistan having been made aware of the severe sanctions that could follow. Any boycott would constitute a breach of the participation agreement signed with the ICC, potentially inviting punishments such as suspension from global and Asia Cup tournaments, as well as the withdrawal of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Moreover, Pakistan have little ground to justify a boycott of either the World Cup or the India match, given that they are scheduled to play at a venue of their own choosing.
The other factor working against Pakistan is that the ICC is reportedly contemplating the option of recalling Bangladesh for the World Cup should the Salman Ali Agha-led side not travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament.
“If Pakistan decide to withdraw, Bangladesh would be given the opportunity to replace them in Group A and play all their matches in Sri Lanka as per BCB’s original request. This arrangement would pose limited logistical challenges,” an official aware of the matter told HT.
