Final decision to play versus India at WC to be taken by Feb.2: Naqvi

The Pakistan government has given a go-ahead to the national team to play against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Colombo, sources said, adding that the decision was arrived at after a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.

Though PCB Chairman Naqvi wrote in a social media post that a final decision on this matter will be announced by Friday or Monday, sources told IANS that Pakistan will play India in the T20 World Cup.

“Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi met Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and briefed him in detail about the ICC T-20 World Cup and the current situation regarding the Bangladesh Cricket Board,” a source told IANS.

There were reports that Pakistan are likely to boycott their match against India if not the entire tournament to show solidarity with Bangladesh, who have been replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup schedule after they refused to travel to India for their matches citing security fears.

In a post on X, the PCB Chairman said that he had a “productive meeting” with the Prime Minister.

“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 will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” Naqvi wrote in the post on X.

Though the Pakistan government has given its nod to play the ICC T20 World Cup and India match, reports said they could make some form of protest before that.

“The team could wear black armbands in the match or issue a statement in support of Bangladesh before it,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).

Naqvi is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, and thus the second-in-command after PM Sharif, and by leaving the decision to him and the PCB, the Pakistan government is hoping to pile on the pressure on the ICC.

Sources also told IANS that PM Shahbaz Sharif has also directed the PCB to write a letter to the ICC on the Bangladesh issue. Pakistan is the only board among the top affiliated national associations to come out in support of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) during the ICC board meeting at which the global governing body for cricket decided to reject Bangladesh’s request for a venue change.

Agencies