Pakistan’s cricket chief, Mohsin Naqvi, announced on Monday that a decision regarding the national team’s participation in next month’s Twenty20 World Cup will be postponed by up to a week. This delay opens the possibility of a boycott following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament.
Following a meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Naqvi indicated that the final decision will not be made until either Friday or the following Monday. The cricket board head described the meeting as productive, emphasizing that all options remain on the table as they navigate the situation.
The uncertainty regarding Pakistan’s participation arose after statements were made on Saturday about the possibility of withdrawing following the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament. The local media reported potential boycotts surrounding a scheduled match against India due to ongoing political tensions.
Pakistan’s stance aligns with Bangladesh’s, as the ICC rejected their demands to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The ICC’s replacement of Bangladesh was informed by the Twenty20 international rankings.
During a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Pakistan supported Bangladesh’s request for match relocation, referencing the historical precedence of moving matches from India due to security issues during the previous year’s Champions Trophy. In that scenario, India played all its matches in Dubai after not touring Pakistan since 2008.
Pakistan was presented with the option to play its Twenty20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, a decision rooted in an agreement made last year between the nations to host matches at neutral venues during ICC events. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have fluctuated, especially after political upheaval in Bangladesh led to the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Meanwhile, tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi have strained further, especially regarding India’s refusal to extradite a former premier who is a fugitive. Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India requested that the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise drop Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman due to these political tensions.
The situation remains fluid, and as both cricketing bodies navigate the complexities of politics and security, the outcome of Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup and its potential standoff with India will be determined in the coming days.