Kamal Ghorui
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in solidarity with Bangladesh’s ouster from the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, has decided not to play their group league game against India in Colombo on February 15. The decision has been taken despite the PCB holding a binding contract with the ICC and the BCCI on playing matches on neutral soil.The Pakistani government did however clear its national team to compete in the tournament which gets underway on February 7. Pakistan are due to play Netherlands in the tournament opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.“The government of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the Twenty20 World Cup, however, the Pakistan team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February against India,” a Pakistan government release said.Here is a timeline of events that led to Pakistan’s decision:January 3: The BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman, who the franchise had aquired in the IPL mini-auction. The decision came due to deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh.January 6: Bangladesh ordered that broadcast of IPL season be stopped in the country. Further, BCB declared that if a single player was considered a “security liability” then the entire team’s safety could be at risk.January 12: BCB formally wrote to the ICC and asked for relocation of their T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. The BCB suggested a “hybrid model”, similar to the 2023 Asia Cup.January 21: ICC Board votes against moving Bangladesh matches. The 14-2 decision saw only Pakistan coming out in support of Bangladesh. ICC maintained that an independent security assessment found “no credible threat” to players in India. They also gave Bangladesh a 24-hour deadline to confirm their travel.January 22: At a meeting that took place at a hotel in Dhaka between the national squad, BCB officials, and Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul, Bangladesh stuck to their decision and decided against travelling to India for the T20 World Cup.January 24: With Bangladesh deciding against playing the T20 World Cup matches in India, ICC formally replaced them with Scotland in Group C.January 24: After Bangladesh were removed from the T20 World Cup, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said a final decision on their participation would be taken after talking to Pakistan’s government.“Our stance [on World Cup participation] will be what the government of Pakistan instructs me,” he said. “The Prime Minister is not in Pakistan right now. When he returns, I’ll be able to give you our final decision. It’s the government’s decision. We obey them, not the ICC.”January 26: Naqvi met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the situation. “Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister … Shehbaz Sharif,” Naqvi tweeted. “Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision [on participation] will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.”February 1: Mohsin Naqvi and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif meet for the second time in a week in Lahore. The government cleared the national team to compete in the T20 World Cup but stopped them from playing arch-rivals and tournament co-hosts India on February 15.
