ICC issues ultimatum to Pakistan over T20 World Cup boycott threat: Report
Possible sanctions include the suspension of bilateral series, exclusion from Asia Cup, and the denial of NOCs for overseas players
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of severe sanctions following the team’s threats to boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup after Bangladesh refused to travel to India citing security concerns.
Also read: Following ICC ultimatum, Pakistan falls in line, announces T20 World Cup squad
The governing body’s stance comes in response to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s support for Bangladesh and criticism of the ICC’s tournament management.
The friction escalated after Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, accused the ICC of “double standards” regarding their treatment of member nations. He argued that Bangladesh was treated unfairly when the ICC refused to relocate their matches, whereas a hybrid model had previously been granted to accommodate Pakistan’s matches in Colombo.
According to a report in the Indian Express, should Pakistan carry out the threat of a withdrawal, sources indicate the ICC is prepared to impose the following sanctions:
Suspension of Bilateral Series: Pakistan would be barred from playing series against any other international team.
Asia Cup Exclusion: The national team would be removed from future Asia Cup participation.
No NOCs: The ICC could coordinate a denial of No Objection Certificates for overseas players, preventing them from participating in the Pakistan Super League.
According to a report in NDTV, while the ICC has expressed displeasure with the PCB’s confrontational approach, a final decision on Pakistan’s participation has not been reached. Naqvi has said the decision to send the team to the World Cup would ultimately be made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Meanwhile, Scotland has been named as the replacement for Bangladesh in the updated T20 World Cup fixtures.
