The Aryavarth Express
Peshawar [Pakistan]: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday said that Pakistan’s brief boycott of its T20 World Cup match against India was solely intended to support Bangladesh and ensure it received “respect” in its dispute with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Pakistan had earlier announced a boycott of its high-profile group-stage fixture against India. However, on Monday, the Government of Pakistan reversed the decision and directed the national team to participate in the February 15 match scheduled in Colombo.
Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Naqvi said Pakistan had no conditions other than addressing Bangladesh’s concerns.
“We didn’t keep any condition in our negotiations other than Bangladesh. Our only aim was to get Bangladesh some respect and to right the injustice that had been done to them,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“You’ve seen whatever Bangladesh wanted has been accepted. We had no personal interest in this. Our position was purely related to Bangladesh. Once their demands were acknowledged and it was accepted that they had suffered an injustice, we decided to play again,” he added.
Pakistan had initially opted to boycott the match in support of Bangladesh, which was expelled from the 2026 T20 World Cup after the ICC rejected its request to shift its matches outside India due to security concerns.
Bangladesh were subsequently replaced by Scotland in the tournament after their demand to play all matches outside India could not be accommodated. The issue reportedly escalated after Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from the squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid concerns over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.
The ICC held a meeting with PCB and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday to discuss the matter. Following the discussions, BCB President Md Aminul Islam Bulbul urged Pakistan to participate in the February 15 clash against India.
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” Aminul Islam said in a statement.
“Given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem,” the statement added.
After the meeting, the ICC issued a statement confirming that the BCB would not face sanctions for Bangladesh’s refusal to play matches in India. The global body also awarded Bangladesh hosting rights for an ICC event scheduled between 2028 and 2031.
