Kamal Ghorui
Pakistan on Monday said it will delay a decision on its participation in the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup, keeping the matter open until at least Friday, amid discussions on a possible boycott of the match against co-hosts India in support of Bangladesh, who have been removed from the tournament.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said a final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday after chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.Naqvi later confirmed on social media that the issue was discussed in detail during the meeting.“I had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister and briefed him on the ICC matter. He directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table,” Naqvi tweeted.“It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” he added.Prime Minister Sharif asked the PCB chief to extend all possible support to Bangladesh, PTI reported, quoting sources. Bangladesh were recently ousted from the tournament that begins on February 7.PTI report said the Pakistan Prime Minister was informed about different options, including Pakistan withdrawing from the T20 World Cup altogether or taking part in the event but boycotting the high-profile match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, if such steps could help Bangladesh cricket in any way.Earlier, the PCB had said that the federal government would take the final call on Pakistan’s participation, citing the evolving situation after Bangladesh’s exit from the competition.Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the 20-team tournament after their request to shift matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns in India, was rejected by the ICC. The ICC said there was no verifiable threat.Pakistan are set to begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo. They are also scheduled to play the USA on February 10, India on February 15 and Namibia on February 18.The PCB announced its 15-member squad on Sunday. The squad includes Babar Azam but does not feature Haris Rauf. Salman Ali Agha has been named captain.
