NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) maintained silence on Monday over the government's decision to boycott the T20 World Cup clash against India, though a senior official privately acknowledged that the board has little option but to comply with directives from the highest level.
Even as the controversy unfolded, the Pakistan team departed for Colombo to take part in its remaining matches in the tournament, which begins on February 7, and is expected to arrive in the Sri Lankan capital later in the day.
Knockout chaos
A top PCB source also indicated that the board would again defer to the government's stance should another potential encounter with India arise in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
"The board has also been notified by the government that the national team will not play against India on 15th February and forfeit points in the World Cup. As for the scenario where Pakistan might be required to play against India in the knockout stages, the board will follow any decision taken by the government at that time as well," the source explained.
Pakistan are set to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7, before facing the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18, provided the decision to boycott the high-profile clash against India is not reversed.
ICC board to meet over Pakistan’s decision to skip India T20 World Cup clash
The refusal to take the field on February 15 has been widely interpreted as a symbolic show of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after declining to play matches in India over security concerns.
A source close to the PCB told PTI that the Board would convey its government's decision to the International Cricket Council on Monday.
The source said PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had made it clear in his briefing to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month that the Board would stand by the government regardless of what the ICC says or does.
"As far as the PCB is concerned for a while now there has been a growing feeling that the ICC has not been just in its dealings with some of the other boards more recently with Bangladesh and one board cannot be allowed to run world cricket," the source said.
The ICC, in a statement on Sunday, said it "expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders".
The ICC statement also hinted that Pakistan's revenue from the T20 World Cup would take a big hit if the decision is not changed.
The government announcement caught the cricket fraternity here off-guard on Sunday.
Even though quite a few former players criticised the decision but they preferred not to speak on record due to the sensitivity of the situation.
"Pakistani cricket fans will lose interest in the World Cup if there is no match with India. It generates a lot of business in Pakistan during the World Cup for different sectors notably mainstream and digital media," said Jamal Mir, the head of an advertising agency in Karachi.
(With PTI Inputs)
