Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has referred to his country’s boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India as a “appropriate decision” and said that it was a “considered stance” to support Bangladesh.
The government has instructed Pakistan’s cricket team to forego the match in Colombo on February 15 after Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland for declining to play its games in India due to “security concerns.”
“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh,” PTI quoted Sharif as saying after a government meeting in Karachi.
Asif Nazrul, a sports advisor for Bangladesh, responded by quoting Sharif and writing “Thank You, Pakistan” on his official Facebook page.
A furious ICC has threatened the Pakistan Cricket Board with dire repercussions if it doesn’t attend the high-profile game, which attracts sponsors, broadcasters, and advertising.
The international organization had hoped the PCB would “consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.”
Pakistan cricket team has arrived in Colombo for its remaining preliminary matches, which begin on Saturday with a match against the Netherlands.
Even if a rematch against India arises during the knockout stage, the Pakistan Cricket Board has already stated that it agrees with the government’s stance and will follow its recommendations. According to PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, the decision to exclude Bangladesh was unfair and their security concerns ought to have been taken into consideration.
Bangladesh’s threat perception was rated as low to moderate in the ICC’s security assessment of Indian venues. After their bowler Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the IPL on the BCCI’s orders, Bangladesh declined to travel to India for its allotted matches.
The Indian cricket board did not provide an explanation, but it did come while Hindus in that area were being attacked more frequently.
