The Pakistan government has granted permission for the national team to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India in Colombo. This decision follows a meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. Naqvi mentioned in a social media post that the final decision would be disclosed by Friday or Monday, but sources indicate that Pakistan will indeed compete against India in the T20 World Cup.
During the meeting, PCB Chairman Naqvi briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the ICC T-20 World Cup and the ongoing situation with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Initially, there were speculations that Pakistan might boycott the match against India or even the entire tournament to show solidarity with Bangladesh. This move came after Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup schedule due to their concerns over traveling to India for matches citing security reasons.
Despite the approval from the Pakistan government for the ICC T20 World Cup and the match against India, there are talks of a potential protest before the game. Reports suggest that the team might wear black armbands during the match or release a statement in support of Bangladesh. PM Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the PCB to address the Bangladesh issue by writing a letter to the ICC. Pakistan stands out as the sole board among the top affiliated national associations supporting the Bangladesh Cricket Board during the recent ICC board meeting.
