Table of Contents

NEW DELHI: Imran Khwaja, deputy chair of the International Cricket Council, has left for Lahore to hold talks with Pakistan Cricket Board officials as efforts intensify to break the deadlock over Pakistan’s proposed boycott of the high-profile T20 World Cup match against India.

Khwaja, who represents Singapore at the ICC, is regarded as an influential voice within the global body and holds voting rights on the board in his capacity as an associate member director.

ICC steps in to mediate

A source close to the PCB confirmed that Khwaja has been appointed by the ICC board as a mediator to address the sensitive issue.

“He has been in discussions with Mohsin Naqvi for some time and is arriving in Lahore today to first meet the PCB chief and also Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam ahead of the virtual meeting scheduled for this evening,” the source said.

Aminul is already in Lahore and held talks with Naqvi on Sunday. He is expected to play a key role in the discussions aimed at convincing Pakistan to reconsider its decision not to face India in Colombo on February 15.

Pressure mounts on PCB

Naqvi has remained largely tight-lipped about the government’s directive to boycott the India match, but a reliable source indicated that the situation has evolved after Sri Lanka Cricket sent an email to the PCB urging them to call off the boycott.

ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta has also travelled to Colombo to meet Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva, who formally wrote to Naqvi asking Pakistan to honour the India fixture in the World Cup.

The ICC has already sought clarification from Pakistan on the possible use of the ‘Force Majeure’ clause to justify refusing to play India, after the PCB attempted to shift responsibility to the government.

Hope of resolution remains

There is now a sense of cautious optimism, with the PCB approaching the ICC for further deliberations. An ICC director believes the marquee India-Pakistan clash will eventually go ahead.

The ICC is engaging with the PCB in a structured manner to explore potential solutions, stressing that the interests of the game must take precedence over any unilateral action.

Sri Lanka Cricket has warned the PCB to reconsider its stance, citing significant financial losses for all stakeholders if the match does not take place.

Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India fixture was taken in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India for World Cup matches due to security concerns.

Bangladesh’s withdrawal was triggered by the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad following instructions from the BCCI.

(With PTI Inputs)