PCB formally informs ICC of its intent to boycott India match: report

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding its refusal to play against India in the scheduled February 15 league match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, according to claims by Indian website Cricbuzz, reported by ARY News.

Indian media outlets stated that Pakistan has officially informed the ICC of the specific reasons behind the decision.

Notably, the Government of Pakistan previously issued a statement clearing the team’s participation in the T20 World Cup but explicitly barring them from competing against India in the league stage.

Sources close to the developments have told cricbuzz that the ICC wrote to the PCB with queries related to the Force Majeure clause in the Terms of Participation and asked the PCB to show what steps it had taken to mitigate the force majeure claim.

The government in Islamabad cleared the national team to take part but ordered them not to play in the marquee group match against India on February 15.

Bangladesh refused to play in India, citing security concerns, as relations soured and were kicked out of Group C by the International Cricket Council, to be replaced by Scotland.

Pakistan backed Bangladesh’s plea to have their games moved to Sri Lanka.

“It’s sad Bangladesh is not here. They have a very good side. Hopefully, they will support us,” Agha said.

Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for more than a decade, and meet only in multinational events.

They will face Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States in the group stage.