NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi met his Bangladesh counterpart Aminul Islam and ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja in Lahore on Sunday, as efforts to break the deadlock over Pakistan’s proposed boycott of the high-stakes T20 World Cup match against India gathered momentum.
The meeting, photographs of which were shared by the PCB, was held at the Gaddafi Stadium.
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Khwaja arrived in Lahore amid growing signs that the impasse surrounding the February 15 India-Pakistan clash in Colombo could be resolved, potentially clearing the way for the marquee encounter to go ahead.
Khwaja, who represents Singapore at the ICC, is a powerful voice within the global body and holds voting rights on the board as an associate member director.
A source close to the PCB confirmed that Khwaja has been appointed by the ICC board to act as a mediator in the sensitive matter.
“He has been in talks with Mohsin Naqvi for a while now and he is reaching Lahore today to first talk to the PCB chief and also the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President, Aminul Islam,” the source said.
ICC mediation gathers pace
Aminul is expected to play a role in the discussions aimed at persuading Pakistan to reconsider its stance on not facing India in the World Cup.
Both Khwaja and Aminul were received at the airport by senior PCB officials before being escorted to the Gaddafi Stadium.
According to a PCB source, Khwaja and Aminul are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting later on Sunday with members of the ICC governing board following their talks with Naqvi.
The source added that the ICC is actively working to convince the PCB to seek government approval for the February 15 fixture.
Aminul’s presence is particularly significant as the standoff between the PCB and ICC was triggered by the global body’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland after the former declined to play World Cup matches in India citing security concerns.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had earlier stated that Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India match was taken in solidarity with Bangladesh, whose request to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka was rejected.
Hope emerges amid pressure from stakeholders
Naqvi has largely refrained from commenting on government directives regarding the boycott, but a reliable source said the situation shifted after Sri Lanka Cricket sent an email to the PCB urging them to reverse the decision.
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta also visited Colombo to meet Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva, who had written to Naqvi encouraging Pakistan to play the India match.
The ICC has already asked Pakistan to explain how the ‘Force Majeure’ clause could be invoked to justify refusing to play the fixture, after the PCB attempted to place responsibility on the government.
However, there is renewed optimism after the PCB approached the ICC for discussions, with an ICC Director expressing confidence that the high-profile match will eventually take place.
The ICC is now engaging with the PCB in a structured dialogue, stressing that the broader interests of the game must outweigh unilateral decisions.
Sri Lanka Cricket has also warned the PCB to reconsider its stance, citing substantial financial losses for all stakeholders.
The initial trigger for Bangladesh’s withdrawal was the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad on BCCI’s instructions.
(With PTI Inputs)
