The International Cricket Council (ICC) finds the decision by Pakistan to boycott the match against arch-rivals India at the upcoming T20 World Cup untenable.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had said that while they would continue to participate at the tournament, the Pakistani government had ordered that the match against India would be boycotted.
The ICC in a press statement said: “While the ICC awaits official communication from the PCB, this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.”
T20 World Cup group league game against India is scheduled to take place in Colombo on February 15.
Pakistan had earlier threatened to boycott the entire tournament in support of Bangladesh. Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland for the World Cup after their request to relocate their matches out of India was rejected by the ICC.
“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.
While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” said the ICC statement.
The ICC hopes that the PCB would consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this was likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.
The ICC’s added that its priority remains the successful delivery of the T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB. It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.
