The deadlock involving the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) shows no signs of easing, with Pakistan deciding to continue its boycott of the high-profile clash against arch-rivals India. With barely six days left for the scheduled match, the uncertainty surrounding one of cricket’s biggest fixtures has cast a shadow over the tournament.
According to multiple media reports, representatives of the ICC, PCB and BCB are currently engaged in discussions in Lahore in a bid to break the impasse. However, no breakthrough has been achieved so far, even as preparations for the marquee encounter remain in limbo.
Reports suggest that the PCB has placed three key demands before the ICC as conditions for withdrawing its boycott. These include the resumption of bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan, a greater share of tournament revenue, and a mandatory handshake between players of both teams before and after the match. The PCB believes these steps are necessary to ensure fairness and restore what it sees as the spirit of international cricket.
Adding another layer to the dispute, a report in Dawn revealed that the PCB has also sought financial compensation for Bangladesh following their exit from the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh were reportedly knocked out after refusing to travel to India due to security concerns. However, the ICC has rejected this demand, maintaining that it cannot offer Bangladesh anything beyond its standard share of ICC revenues.
“ICC has nothing to offer to Bangladesh as compensation but to ensure it would get a full share from the ICC earnings,” the Dawn report quoted.
Pakistan’s stance is rooted in its claim of standing in solidarity with Bangladesh. PCB sources have indicated that the decision to boycott the India match was taken as a protest against what they describe as a biased decision by the ICC in handling Bangladesh’s concerns.
“The government of Pakistan wanted to show solidarity with Bangladesh. Therefore, as a protest, the national team was restricted from playing its match with India scheduled for February 15,” a source was quoted as saying.
The ICC, meanwhile, has reportedly warned Pakistan of severe sanctions if the boycott is carried through, highlighting the potential damage to the tournament and the broader global cricket economy. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has also urged the PCB to reconsider its position, cautioning that such a move could have far-reaching financial and sporting consequences.
As negotiations continue behind closed doors, the cricketing world waits anxiously to see whether Pakistan will soften its stance or whether the standoff will escalate further, putting one of the sport’s most anticipated rivalries on hold once again.
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