New Delhi, Feb 10: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Tuesday lauded the International Cricket Council (ICC) for arriving at an “amicable solution” that led Pakistan to withdraw its boycott of the T20 World Cup match against India.
The marquee India–Pakistan clash, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, will now be held as planned after Pakistan’s government, following persuasion from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, decided to withdraw its boycott call.
“I would like to thank the ICC chairman Jay Shah and other office-bearers on behalf of the BCCI for finding a very good solution. After discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and after listening to all sides, this decision has been taken,” Shukla told reporters.
Terming the move significant for the sport, he said the decision was crucial for cricket and would contribute to the success of the World Cup. “This is a big achievement for the ICC. Even the Bangladesh Cricket Board has appreciated the ICC for listening to all sides and taking a balanced decision keeping everyone’s interests in mind,” he said.
Emphasising the larger interest of the game, Shukla added that international cricket must take precedence over all other considerations.
Pakistan’s decision to withdraw the boycott became evident after Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam issued a statement in Dhaka urging Pakistan to play the match for the greater good of cricket.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also received a call from Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who reportedly appealed to him to allow the team to take the field. The government’s decision followed a briefing by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi on his discussions with the ICC.
As part of the resolution, the ICC decided not to impose any penalty on Bangladesh, which had been forced out of the World Cup earlier after refusing to play in India citing security concerns.
Pakistan’s earlier decision to boycott the India match was taken in support of Bangladesh after the latter was replaced by Scotland in the tournament lineup. (Agencies)
