No more boycott as India vs Pakistan to go ahead at T20 World Cup – Report
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "No more boycott as India vs Pakistan to go ahead at T20 World Cup – Report")
Major U-Turn: Pakistan to play India in T20 WC after boycott threat - Report Photograph: (AFP)
The Pakistani government earlier announced that its cricket team would not take the field against India on February 15 in Colombo.
Following all the drama surrounding the boycott of the India game at the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), after closed-door talks with ICC representatives in Lahore, is contemplating going against their government’s claims and agreeing to play the marquee clash on February 15 in Colombo. All seems to fall into place after ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja reached Pakistan to meet senior PCB officials to work out a way to have everyone on the same page.
Although Pakistan has reportedly sought 24 hours to reconsider its decision, a Times of India (TOI) report suggests that India vs Pakistan in Colombo has received a green signal.
Earlier, Pakistan agreed to participate in the 20-team tournament while withdrawing from its scheduled game against arch-rival India in Colombo; the ICC took note of the matter, swiftly replying to the PCB over the long-term ramifications of this decision. After a week of two-and-fro, the ICC representatives and PCB officials agreed to talk, which began over the weekend and concluded on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the PCB had invoked Force Majeure, citing its government instructions not to take the field against India in the group stage of an ICC event. Even though the PCB did not provide further explanation or justification for taking this call in its letter to the ICC, cricket’s governing body asked the concerned board to justify how it tried to escape the logjam, considering its terms and conditions.
Pakistan, however, chose this path of boycotting the India fixture in solidarity with Bangladesh, which the ICC replaced Scotland with, after refusing to travel to India for its scheduled T20 World Cup league matches, citing security concerns.
Also, after the ICC intervened, urging Pakistan to reconsider its boycott decision for cricket and business purposes, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wrote to the PCB, informing them of financial losses and further potential damage to the organisation, cricket in Sri Lanka, and its relationship with Pakistan.
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Besides, Pakistan and India have won their respective opening games at the tournament. While Pakistan narrowly won against the Netherlands in the first match of this edition, Team India beat the USA later in the day in Mumbai, gaining two points.
Pakistan next faces the USA on Tuesday (Feb 10) in Colombo, and India will host Namibia in Delhi two days later on Thursday (Feb 12).
Should the PCB reconsider its decision to boycott the India game, the two Asian heavyweights will collide next Sunday in the tournament’s marquee clash.
