Pakistan likely to remain firm on boycott stance
Colombo, Feb 5: Co-host Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Thursday urged its Pakistani counterpart PCB to reconsider the decision to boycott the high stakes India-Pakistan contest here on February 15 citing the heavy losses it would inflict on all stakeholders of the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan government announced the boycott of the marquee game against India in support of Bangladesh who withdrew from the World Cup citing security concerns in India despite low threat perception from the International Cricket Council.
There could be a fresh twist to the drama now with SLC writing a letter to PCB.
SLC sources told PTI that its executive committee met on Tuesday and decided to write to the Pakistan Cricket Board, urging the Pakistanis to reconsider their controversial decision.
The letter was eventually dispatched on Thursday.
In the letter, SLC warned the PCB of potential adverse impact on tourism including cancellations of hotel bookings, flight reservations and logistical supplier inconveniences.The SLC also mentioned in the letter that it was ready to host the sellout fixture at the Premadasa Stadium. According to Newswire, SLC warned PCB that any non-participation in a marquee fixture of this nature would have wide-ranging implications, including substantial financial exposure, the loss of anticipated tourism inflows, and broader economic fallout.
“The correspondence also pointed out that Sri Lanka Cricket, together with the Government of Sri Lanka, is mindful of the wider impact a boycott could have, affecting not only Sri Lanka Cricket but a broad range of stakeholders involved in ensuring the successful conduct of the tournament,” the report added.
In the letter, SLC also reminded the PCB of the role the former played in lifting Pakistan cricket out of international isolation by touring the country multiple times under “challenging and sensitive circumstances, including periods marked by serious security incidents, when other cricketing nations were hesitant to do so”.
It was a reference to the period when teams stopped touring Pakistan following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.
As per the Sri Lanka news website, SLC said it expects the same spirit of reciprocity to prevail, noting that Sri Lanka has extended full assurances on security, neutrality, and professionalism for all matches hosted in the country. In a media interaction on Thursday, India captain Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that his team would be travelling to Colombo for the clash against Pakistan.
The absence of an India-Pakistan contest in the ICC event could cause losses to the tune of USD 250 million.
According to a source close to the BCCI, Pakistan is, as of now, not set to participate in the game against India on February 15, with the situation having reached a critical stage behind the scenes.
The source indicated that the matter was formally discussed at a recent ICC meeting, where member boards deliberated on the implications of Pakistan’s decision and the possible course of action available to the governing body.
The source further revealed that a vote was taken during the meeting on proposed punitive measures, which included a one-year ban on Pakistan from ICC tournaments and a reduction in its revenue share from the ICC’s central pool.
While no official announcement has yet been made publicly, the developments suggest that the ICC is treating the issue with seriousness, and that Pakistan’s stance could carry significant sporting and financial consequences if the decision is enforced. As the countdown to February 15 continues, the standoff has now grown beyond a bilateral flashpoint into a defining moment for the T20 World Cup itself. What was meant to be the tournament’s marquee fixture risks becoming a symbol of fractured diplomacy, strained governance and lost opportunity, with repercussions that extend far beyond the boundary ropes.
However, with Sri Lanka Cricket body stepping in as mediator, and India signalling readiness to play, and the ICC reportedly weighing punitive measures, the coming days could prove decisive in shaping not just the tournament’s commercial viability but also the future contours of international cricket administration.
Whether pragmatism prevails over politics remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the absence of an India-Pakistan clash would leave a void that no other contest can fill. (Agencies)
