PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD (PCB) has yet to formally announce that its men’s team will skip the scheduled T20 World Cup clash against India, but reports suggest the board is already preparing for possible consequences should the International Cricket Council (ICC) impose sanctions for boycotting the 15 February fixture.
On Sunday, the Pakistani government stated via social media that the men’s team would travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament but would not take part in the match against India. The PCB, however, has not issued an official statement on the matter.
According to Dawn, the PCB is considering reopening a long-standing dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), dating back to November 2018. At the time, the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) rejected the PCB’s claim seeking USD 63 million in damages from the Indian board.
The PCB had alleged that the BCCI violated an agreement to play seven bilateral series between 2014 and 2023, and sought compensation for two series that were scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan but never materialised.
The BCCI countered by stating that it was unable to tour Pakistan due to the Indian government’s refusal to grant clearance. It also argued that the agreement between the two boards was not legally binding, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The PCB is now reportedly weighing the option of citing the 2018 proceedings to justify its position on not formally stating a reason for a potential boycott of the World Cup match against India. If the ICC rejects its arguments, Pakistan may consider escalating the matter to an international court of arbitration.
