The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has firmly denied any claims suggesting that they approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding their decision not to play against India in the T20 World Cup. PCB spokesperson Amir Mir addressed the issue on Saturday, specifically refuting statements made by Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta.
Mir emphasized that such claims are unfounded, labeling them as a product of Indian media speculation. He stated, “As usual, sections of Indian media are busy circulating fiction. A little patience and time will clearly show who actually went knocking and who didn’t.”
This denial follows reports that the ICC was in discussions with the PCB to address the potential boycott of their match against India, which surfaced on February 15. The anticipated clash between these two arch-rivals holds significant commercial value, generating millions of dollars in broadcast and sponsorship revenues. However, the match’s status has been cast into uncertainty after the Pakistani government instructed the national team not to participate in the game scheduled to take place in Colombo.
The T20 World Cup, featuring 20 teams, has been marred by political tensions, especially since Bangladesh recently opted out of playing in India due to security issues and was subsequently replaced by Scotland. As part of their protest, Pakistan has reiterated their refusal to face co-host India in their Group A fixture.
If Pakistan goes ahead with their boycott and forfeits the match, they will incur a penalty of two points and could also suffer damage to their net run rate. Meanwhile, Indian team captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that his squad intends to travel to Colombo for the scheduled encounter.
It is worth noting that the cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan remains intense, with the two nations not having engaged in bilateral series for over a decade. Their matchups now only occur in global or regional tournaments, adding to the excitement and stakes involved whenever they meet on the field.