T20 World Cup: Pakistan Government Reverses Decision, Clears Team to Face India on February 15

Islamabad – The Pakistan government has reversed its earlier position and granted permission to the national men’s cricket team to participate in its scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India on February 15.

Earlier, the government had instructed the team to refrain from playing the high-profile clash as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh. Bangladesh had been excluded from the tournament and replaced by Scotland after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its demand to shift its matches from India to Sri Lanka.

However, following the ICC’s firm stance against Pakistan’s potential boycott, along with appeals from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Sri Lankan government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the team’s participation in the match.

The Pakistan government stated that its decision was influenced by formal requests from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, along with communications from the United Arab Emirates and other ICC member nations, urging Pakistan to help find a practical resolution to the ongoing dispute.

According to an official statement, the government also acknowledged remarks made by BCB President Aminul Islam, expressing gratitude towards Pakistan for its support. Pakistan reaffirmed its solidarity with Bangladesh.

The statement further revealed that Prime Minister Sharif held a telephonic conversation with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. During the discussion, both leaders highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between their countries and emphasized cooperation during difficult times. The Sri Lankan President reportedly urged Pakistan to consider resolving the issue amicably.

Following these diplomatic engagements and multilateral discussions, the Pakistan government officially directed its national cricket team to participate in the February 15 fixture.

The standoff between the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) began on February 1, when Prime Minister Sharif initially permitted the team to take part in the tournament but barred it from playing the match against India in Colombo.

The controversy originated after the ICC declined Bangladesh’s request to relocate its matches to Sri Lanka due to security concerns, ultimately replacing Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament lineup.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan team is currently in Sri Lanka and is scheduled to play its second Group A match against the United States on Tuesday.

With inputs from IANS