With only one week remaining before the India-Pakistan game in the T20 World Cup, the controversy surrounding the fixture and its boycott may witness another development. After declaring a boycott of the India clash in the World Cup, Pakistan’s Lahore could become the focal point for the latest breakthrough, with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam arriving in the country. He is set to meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, while ICC director Imran Khwaja is also expected to attend.
BCB President in Lahore
The BCB President arrived in Lahore as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh following their elimination from the T20 World Cup. In reaction to the International Cricket Council (ICC) decision, Pakistan proposed to boycott the India match, as Bangladesh had refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup. Nevertheless, it is now expected that ICC director Imran Khwaja could deliver a major breakthrough aimed at reversing the boycott decision.
Presently, back-channel discussions and engagement have continued between the ICC and the PCB. ESPNcricinfo had reported on Saturday that the ICC had asked the PCB to explain the reasoning behind the invocation of the Force Majeure clause in their boycott, after Majeure event, as is required by the Members Participation Agreement (MPA).
The ICC is also believed to have detailed conditions under which Force Majeure can legitimately be invoked, and the threshold required for non-participation, as well as the sporting, commercial and governance implications of such a step. In their only official statement, in a social media post, the PCB denied reports it had approached the ICC, implying it was the other way around.
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