New Delhi: Pakistan has refused to play against India in the T20 World Cup. However, this move by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could now backfire significantly. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is preparing to hold a meeting on the matter. According to media reports, the ICC board will meet on Tuesday or Wednesday to discuss the issue and decide on further action.
Although the Pakistani government announced on Sunday via social media that the national team would not play against India, ICC sources say that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet received any official letter or communication in this regard.
Hours after the government’s decision was made public on Sunday, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that the senior national team would abide by the government’s decision. He also added that the matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the cricket board.
Why is Naqvi silent?
PCB chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has remained silent on the issue so far. This is despite the fact that he had earlier spoken of boycotting the entire tournament, which has now been limited to boycotting only the match against India in support of Bangladesh.
It is worth noting that Bangladesh had refused to travel to India citing security reasons, after which they were removed from the tournament and Scotland was included.
Are strict sanctions possible against Pakistan?
Officials said that if Pakistan does not take the field against India on February 15, the ICC is considering imposing strict sanctions. On the field, Pakistan would have to give a walkover for this match, which would cost them two points and severely impact their net run rate.
What could the potential ICC sanctions be?
Off the field, the ICC sanctions could pose a serious threat to the future of Pakistan cricket.
– A ban on the participation of foreign players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), along with the withdrawal of international recognition and commercial support from the league. * A significant reduction in the amount Pakistan receives from the ICC’s revenue pool, on which the PCB is heavily reliant financially.
– Instructions to compensate broadcasters for the massive revenue losses incurred due to the absence of India-Pakistan matches.
– Exclusion from the Asia Cup.
– A ban on all bilateral series involving Pakistan.
In an official statement, the ICC warned Pakistan of the potential consequences and appealed to the PCB to consider the long-term implications before making a final decision.
What will be the impact on broadcasters?
The India vs. Pakistan match is one of the most-watched matches in world cricket. Last year, during the Asia Cup, India and Pakistan faced each other three times within a month, generating billions of rupees in revenue for the broadcasters.
If Pakistan does not play the match against India this month, the broadcasters could put immense pressure on the ICC. This is a situation that would not be favorable for Pakistan at all.
Have there been match boycotts before?
There have been instances of teams refusing to play matches before. In the 1996 World Cup, Australia and West Indies did not travel to Sri Lanka due to security concerns. In the 2003 World Cup, England refused to play against Zimbabwe for political reasons, while New Zealand did not play their group match against Kenya in Nairobi. However, in none of those cases was such a large, high-profile boycott announced at the last minute.
