T20 World Cup: Pakistan decides to keep ICC waiting

Pakistan's entry into the ICC-Bangladesh stand off over the T20 World Cup has, over the past two days, escalated geopolitical tensions to another level. On Monday afternoon, the focus of the cricketing world shifted to the much publicised meeting between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Mohsin Naqvi, interior minister and chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which brought no categorical announcements.

The drift emanating from Pakistan is that it will eventually participate in the marquee event as there is ‘’too much at stake’’, but wants to show the cricketing establishment that it is doing so on its own terms. The former World T20 champions, whose league match against India on 15 February in Colombo will be the money-spinner of the tournament in case they don’t meet later, have a bargaining chip, and it will be interesting to see how the International Cricket Council (ICC) handles the tightrope.

In an X post following the meeting, Naqvi said: ‘’Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that final decision will be taken on Friday or next Monday.’’

This effectively means Pakistan wants to make cricket's global governing body wait until a maximum of 2 February for a decision — less than five days before the national team is scheduled to open its campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo on 7 February.

A possible boycott at that stage, untenable as it may sound, will leave the ICC with no time to summon a replacement team, not to speak of leaving the World Cup's brand value and reputation in tatters. Informed sources in Pakistan talk about the possibility that while the green shirts will travel to Colombo, they may take a more vocal stance before an international audience against the so called ‘unfair treatment’ meted out to Bangladesh.

The PCB has, over the past three weeks, maintained a discreet silence on Bangladesh’s demand for relocation of its World T20 matches from India. It expectedly it showed solidarity with Bangladesh by voting in favour of the demand at the virtual ICC board meeting, where the proposal was shot down by an overwhelming 14-2 votes. This is when the Naqvi entered the fray to fish in troubled waters, maintaining that his country's participation was subject to "government clearance" and not the ICC.

There is no doubt that Naqvi is trying to leverage the heavyweight status that Pakistan enjoys as a cricketing nation to keep the ICC (read BCCI) guessing for some more time. There is no tangible reason on its part to boycott the tournament, or ‘forfeit’ the India game as a form of protest. As a noted former PCB law advisor pointed out, that could lead to major financial penalties and bans in future.

Speaking to Telecomasia.net, Taffazul Raqvi said such any such plans, especially after signing an MoU with the BCCI last year on a hybrid model for India-Pakistan matches until 2027, will have serious ramifications. ‘’There will be many complications for Pakistan if they decide to pull out. Any decision like this should be very well deliberated upon,’’ he remarked.

Rizvi, who is well-versed in ICC regulations, however, said Pakistan has one legal argument if it chooses to back Bangladesh. ‘’They can say this is discrimination against an ICC member country. As per ICC rules, every country should be treated equally, he said. ‘’Pakistan can say we feel there is discrimination against a fellow member, so we are also pulling out.’’

Meanwhile, a senior BCCI functionary has upped the ante against Pakistan, breaking the Indian board's discreet silence thus far. Rajiv Shukla, BCCI vice-president and a Rajya Sabha Congress MP, hit out in an interview: ‘’Pakistan is intervening in the matter without any reason and provoking Bangladesh. Everyone knows the brutality done by Pakistan on Bangladeshis, and now they are trying to mislead them, which is completely wrong’’.