Pakistan- Efforts to resolve the impasse over Pakistan’s proposed boycott of a T20 World Cup match against India have intensified, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expected to seek clear guidance from the government within the next 24 hours, sources said on Monday.
Talks involving the PCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) concluded after more than five hours, sources told Geo.tv. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with BCB President Aminul Islam also in attendance.
According to sources, the ICC responded positively to Bangladesh’s concerns, and a proposed framework to address the BCB’s grievances has been drafted. During the discussions, the ICC and BCB exchanged proposals, while the PCB played a central coordinating role.
Imran Khwaja has since returned to the ICC headquarters to seek final approval for the proposed formula, while Aminul Islam has gone back to brief his government. Once the framework is approved, ICC and BCB officials are expected to reconnect on Tuesday afternoon to finalise the next steps.
Meanwhile, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is likely to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within the next two days to seek official guidance on Pakistan’s position regarding the February 15 India match. Sources said the final decision will rest with the prime minister.
Earlier, Khwaja arrived in Lahore for talks following Pakistan’s announcement that it would boycott its scheduled T20 World Cup fixture against India. Prior to that, the BCB president had also visited Pakistan and held a separate meeting with Naqvi.
During the discussions, Aminul Islam thanked Pakistan for supporting Bangladesh in its dispute with the ICC. Both officials also exchanged views on the broader crisis surrounding the tournament. Sources had previously indicated that the BCB chief would attend an ICC emergency meeting, alongside other board representatives.
The latest developments come amid Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India match over what the PCB has described as the ICC’s biased handling of the issue, with Bangladesh playing a key role in the dispute.
Tensions escalated after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the direction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), triggering strong reactions in Dhaka. Subsequently, the BCB requested the ICC to move its matches outside India, a request that was rejected. Following Bangladesh’s firm stance, the ICC replaced the BCB with Scotland in the tournament, citing scheduling constraints ahead of the February 7 start date.
The PCB has also rejected claims by Indian media that it initiated dialogue with the ICC to resolve the issue. PCB spokesperson Amir Mir dismissed the reports after Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta alleged that the PCB had reached out to the ICC regarding the India-Pakistan match.
Any India-Pakistan clash is considered one of the most commercially valuable fixtures in world cricket, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcast, sponsorship, and advertising revenue. Industry estimates place the total commercial value of a single T20 match between the two rivals at around $500 million (approximately INR45,000 crore).
Advertising slots during such matches reportedly sell for between INR25 lakh and INR40 lakh for a 10-second spot, significantly higher than most other high-profile games. The official broadcaster alone is estimated to earn around INR300 crore in advertising revenue from the fixture.
The BCB president’s visit to Pakistan is also being viewed in light of earlier Indian media reports suggesting that the ICC was pursuing back-channel negotiations with the PCB and had tasked its deputy chairman, Imran Khwaja, with engaging Pakistani officials.
Originally Published By: Geo News
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