T20 World Cup: ‘I request Pakistan to play against India’ – BCB President | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Monday requested Pakistan to honour its scheduled T20 World Cup fixture against India, stressing that playing the match would benefit the wider cricket ecosystem. “Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on February 15 against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem,” Islam said in a statement.The pressure has been mounting on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from all corners. A few days ago, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also urged it to reconsider its decision to boycott the India vs Pakistan fixture.
In a two-page letter written by SLC, it reminded the PCB of Sri Lanka’s past support for Pakistan during challenging times and urged the board to reconsider its stance. The letter also highlighted significant financial, logistical and reputational consequences for the co-hosts if the game does not go ahead as planned.SLC had cautioned that non-participation in a marquee fixture of this scale would have far-reaching consequences, exposing the board to major financial losses while also impacting tourism inflows and the broader economy. The SLC also invoked Sri Lanka’s tours of Pakistan despite grave security threats, including the 2009 convoy attack, when gunmen opened fire on the team bus en route to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a Test match, leaving six Sri Lankan players wounded.The incident led to international teams staying away from Pakistan for nearly a decade. That streak was broken when Sri Lanka became the first to play a Test match in Pakistan after a 10-year gap (in 2019). TimesofIndia.com reported on Sunday that the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the PCB are closing in on a decision regarding the February 15 T20 World Cup fixture between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.The ICC delegation, represented by deputy chair Imran Khwaja and Mubashir Usmani, general secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), was joined by BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul in the meeting with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.This came after the PCB raised the Force Majeure clause, citing a government decision not to take part in the India clash after Scotland replaced Bangladesh in Group C.The row began when Bangladesh, citing security concerns after Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the directive of the BCCI, refused to travel to India. Bangladesh was then replaced by Scotland. Pakistan later declared it would boycott the India fixture in solidarity with Bangladesh, prompting urgent backchannel talks.
