Political games in World Cup cricket

Pakistan’s decision to withdraw its earlier plan to boycott the ICC T20 World Cup match against India has brought relief and happiness to cricket fans. It is also seen as a victory for the International Cricket Council (ICC), which did not give in to attempts to turn the cricket field into a political battleground.

Controversies had started even before the World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board first raised issues after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders amid reports of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government then took a strong stand, saying their players would not be safe in India and that the team would not travel for the World Cup. Though many members of the Bangladesh Cricket Board and players did not agree, they had to follow the government's decision.

After several rounds of talks failed, the ICC took the tough decision to exclude Bangladesh from the World Cup. Scotland was included as a replacement. Following this, Pakistan also created controversy. The Pakistan Cricket Board, which has had tense relations with India, announced that it would boycott its match against India scheduled for the 15th of this month in Colombo, expressing solidarity with Bangladesh. PCB chairman and Pakistan minister Mohsin Naqvi led the move. By having the boycott announced as a decision of the Pakistan Prime Minister, the board tried to present it as a national decision and avoid possible ICC punishment. Naqvi is also the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council and has not yet handed over the Asia Cup trophy won by India.

The withdrawal of Pakistan’s decision, which could have become a stain on the World Cup, is seen as a victory for the International Cricket Council, led by Jay Shah. ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja was sent to Pakistan for discussions and explained the serious consequences of a boycott. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board also played an important role, pointing out that since the match was to be held in Colombo, it would face financial losses if the game was cancelled. The Sri Lankan board also reminded Pakistan that despite the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan, Sri Lanka later toured Pakistan again in the spirit of cooperation. The Bangladesh Cricket Board also reportedly asked Pakistan not to boycott the match in its support.

The ICC made it clear that Pakistan would face heavy consequences if it went ahead with the boycott. Reports said the financial loss could be around Rs 1,470 crore. There was also a risk of legal action from the broadcaster holding the World Cup television rights, which could have affected Pakistan’s future in international cricket. Understanding these risks, Pakistan decided to reverse its stand. At the same time, some observers believe the boycott threat was a strategy to put pressure on the ICC, as Pakistan has demanded a higher share of ICC revenue and raised other concerns. In any case, major sporting events like the World Cup should not become platforms for political disputes. The ICC may need to be more careful in handling such issues in future tournaments.