Pakistan has not yet officially stated any reason for boycotting the match against India in the T20 World Cup. However, this decision will affect not only these two countries but also world cricket. Bangladesh will not remain untouched by this impact either.
When asked about Pakistan’s decision, no BCB director wanted to speak on record. However, everyone is concerned about the possible financial loss following Pakistan’s decision since the BCB’s main source of income is the ICC’s revenue share.
The cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan has somewhat decreased. In the most recent Asia Cup, Pakistan faced India three times and lost all matches. But beyond match results or rivalry, this fixture carries a much larger significance.
In its reaction after the Pakistani government announced the decision the night before yesterday, the ICC said that Pakistan’s refusal to play the match would impact the entire global cricket “ecosystem.” The biggest impact would be financial. BCB officials also share the same concern. A top BCB director, speaking anonymously said, “If the India-Pakistan match does not happen, the entire cricket world will face financial losses. Even our revenue share will decrease. We never wanted such losses.” He also mentioned the reason behind Pakistan’s strict decision, saying, “Pakistan wanted to send a strong message to Indian cricket. They wanted to challenge India’s dominance. From that perspective, it might be justified.”
Political hostility with India is one of the main reasons behind Pakistan’s decision not to play the match. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has consistently opposed changing Bangladesh’s venue request and organizing the World Cup without them. He also spoke in favor of Bangladesh during ICC meetings. Therefore, many people are viewing Pakistan’s decision as support for Bangladesh. From that angle, it is also being seen as a strong message to India. A BCB director said, “Since the ICC ignored our concerns and excluded us without properly listening, a response was necessary. Pakistan’s decision not to play against India is a very significant development.”
However, the same official later expressed disappointment. The BCB is already facing financial loss because Bangladesh will not participate in this T20 World Cup. Domestic cricket is also no longer generating sufficient revenue. The money received from sponsorships and broadcasting rights is not enough to cover the country’s cricket expenses throughout the year.
A BCB director associated with the events related to Bangladesh’s absence from the World Cup said yesterday, “This will impact the ICC’s main financial pool. We are all stakeholders in that. For example, countries like Kenya or Uganda may be satisfied with one or two hundred thousand dollars. But with our infrastructure, how will we survive if ICC funding decreases?”
Beyond the financial impact, Bangladesh’s cricket diplomacy hostility with India, similar to India and Pakistan, is now becoming evident. The BCB believes this could negatively affect future tour schedules, including the Asia Cup.
However, despite everything, they remain hopeful that the crisis will be resolved soon. One board director concluded by saying, “The door for discussions can open at any time let’s see what happens.”
