T20 Cricket World Cup: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to officially communicate in writing to the world governing body of cricket over its government’s decision to forfeit the Group C fixture against the defending champions India on February 15 in Sri Lanka.
In a post on X, the Government of Pakistan posted Team Pakistan is allowed to participate in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 but it shall not take field against India. The PCB is trying hard to categorize the turn of event as a government diktat but that would probably not help it escape huge sanctions.
DON'T MISS
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to call an urgent board meeting to take a tough stance against the unilateral decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Meanwhile, influencing members boards such as Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have expressed their displeasure privately over the recent turn of events.
Losses To Be Recovered From PCB
In all likelihood, the ICC would set up an independent survey to draw opinions from commercial partners and other stakeholders on what kind of money they stand to lose, which would be recoverable from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Pakistan’s boycott of the match against India could translate to a loss of approximately $38 million for the PCB because of broadcaster claims. It is estimated that the host broadcaster may lose advertising revenue in the range of Rs. 200-250 crore as the much-awaited India Pakistan cricket match provides up to Rs. 40 lakh for a 10-second commercial slot. Moreover, the revenue-sharing model of the PCB with the world governing body of cricket could be jeopardized, which can considerably impact financial distributions in the future.
Would ICC Follow FIFA and IOC’s Precedents?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have always punished boycotting teams. As global bodies of repute, they have never tolerated the decision of any country to forfeit matches or an event citing security concerns.
The present-day situations urge the ICC to punish Pakistan badly as inaction would portray it as a weak and incompetent governing body. The actions of Pakistan have diluted the World Cup’s gravity just to gain diplomatic mileage over its arch-rivals India.
