NEW DELHI: The ICC has cautioned the Pakistan Cricket Board about potential legal consequences following Pakistan's decision to boycott its scheduled T20 World Cup match against India on February 15, according to sources within the PCB. The warning stems from concerns raised by the tournament's official broadcasters, JioStar, who could pursue legal action over the withdrawal.
Pakistan's decision to skip the Colombo fixture was taken on instructions from the government, though the PCB has yet to formally outline its reasons to the ICC. The development has put the board in a difficult position, with significant financial implications now looming.
PTI reported that the ICC may respond by withholding Pakistan's annual revenue share - estimated to be around $35 million - and redirecting those funds to compensate the broadcasters.
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A PCB source said that while chairman Mohsin Naqvi had consulted the board's legal team before briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matter last week, the PCB is now preparing for serious fallout from the decision.
"If Pakistan doesn't relent and play against India, not only will they face financial penalties, perhaps a lawsuit from broadcasters but also any efforts to go to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) are likely to fail," a PCB source told PTI.
ICC's DRC is an internal committee which doesn't hear appeals against the decisions made by its own board.
"The PCB might face problems regardless of their government directive to not play India as they are playing all their matches at a neutral venue (Sri Lanka) as per their wishes and not in India," another PCB source said.
"Secondly, while the Indian government has not given permission to its team to play in Pakistan, it has not stopped them from playing against Pakistan at neutral venues in Asia Cup or ICC events even after the May conflict," the board source, who tracks Naqvi closely, added.
The PCB is yet to formally communicate its decision to the ICC, but the boycott is being viewed as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh following their removal from the tournament.
"When the ICC signed its four year deal with the broadcaster for all ICC events, the contract included Pakistan and India matches based on which the broadcaster made the payments to the ICC," the source explained.
"So the broadcaster will be within its rights to take the PCB and ICC to court over a major breach of the contract."
It is reliably learnt that the PCB approached other members' boards for support on the matter but failed to find any backers.
Will Naqvi make U-turn after Bangladesh elections?
There is a school of thought that Naqvi, who is also the interior minister of his country, might just make a U-turn once the general elections are held in Bangladesh on February 12 and a democratic government takes charge instead of the present one headed by Mohammed Yunus.
"Naqvi more than a cricket administrator is a politician, who is not one bit bothered about the welfare of the national team. He is trying to score a brownie point with his and could well flip once elections are held on February 12.
"There would still be two days before the India game and things could just change. Else he knows that Pakistan could be ostracised," another source tracking Pakistan cricket said.
