Intro: After weeks of uncertainty, Pakistan confirm February 15 India clash in T20 World Cup
Colombo
The road to confirmation was anything but smooth. Uncertainty first crept in on January 24, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C after Bangladesh’s request to shift matches out of India was rejected. The request was made citing security concerns following the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad at the directive of the BCCI.
The decision triggered strong reactions in Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi termed the treatment of Bangladesh “unfair”, while the country’s interior minister indicated that a call on whether Pakistan would play India would be taken at the highest political level by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Talk of a possible boycott quickly gathered momentum.
A day later, on January 25, Pakistan announced their 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, led by Salman Ali Agha and featuring senior batter Babar Azam. The squad announcement did little to calm speculation, with officials maintaining that the final decision rested with the Prime Minister.
On January 26, Naqvi met Shehbaz Sharif and stated publicly that all options were still open. He said the government would take a final call after further deliberations, keeping the cricketing and diplomatic implications in mind.
The situation took another turn on February 1, when the Pakistan government announced that the team would travel to Sri Lanka but would not play the India match. The PCB refrained from issuing a detailed statement, even as the ICC reportedly warned Pakistan of serious consequences, including possible sanctions.
Beyond sporting fallout, commercial concerns also loomed large. Broadcasters, particularly JioHotstar, were said to be worried about the financial impact of losing the tournament’s biggest draw, with discussions around compensation reportedly surfacing.
Late on February 10, however, clarity finally emerged. The Pakistan government confirmed that the team would take the field against India, effectively closing the chapter on boycott fears and ensuring that the world’s most watched cricket rivalry will play out in Colombo as scheduled.
