After weeks of speculation, the government of Pakistan confirmed that the men’s national cricket team will take part in the T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. However, the decision came with a massive twist.
Pakistan will not take the field against India in Colombo on February 15, in what was the marquee match-up of the tournament.
The announcement will be met with dismay at the International Cricket Council (ICC), whose broadcast rights are valued primarily on the basis of this one contest. The thousands of fans, who had spent a premium on flights, tickets and hotels, are also left scrambling by a decision that is almost certain to invite punitive measures from the ICC.
Pakistan’s move comes less than a fortnight after Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India for four group matches, following which the ICC replaced them with Scotland, the highest-ranked team not to have qualified.
Pakistan’s gambit is a shock because, following India’s refusal to play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, a hybrid model had been arrived at in December 2024 which saw the two countries playing each other only on neutral turf until at least 2027.
It remains to be seen what excuse or justification the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) comes up with, after a decision that will hit every constituent member of the ICC hard where it hurts most – in the pocket. Ironically, the country least affected will be India, the target of this eyebrow-raising move.
