Pakistan May Boycott India Match in Protest Over Bangladesh’s World Cup Exit
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering multiple protest options following Bangladesh’s exclusion from the ICC T20 World Cup, with one possibility being a boycott of Pakistan’s scheduled match against India, media reports said on Monday, citing sources.
According to the report, Pakistan may refuse to play its high-profile match against India on February 15 in Colombo as a form of protest. Under tournament rules, such a move would result in Pakistan losing only two points, without further sporting penalties.
Sources said the PCB is assessing the broader implications of a potential boycott, noting that a Pakistan-India match is one of the ICC’s biggest commercial assets. Any refusal to play could lead to significant financial losses for the global cricket body.
Officials added that other protest options are also under consideration, even if Pakistan ultimately decides to continue participating in the tournament.
Bangladesh was excluded from the T20 World Cup after it declined to tour India, citing security concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had requested the ICC to shift all of its matches to Sri Lanka, but the request was rejected during a board meeting.
Following the decision, Scotland was included in the tournament in place of Bangladesh.
The development has sparked concerns among regional cricket boards, with Pakistan now weighing its response to what it views as an unfair decision by the ICC. The PCB is expected to deliberate further before making any final announcement regarding its participation in the India fixture.
