Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Pakistan's decision to boycott their scheduled T20 World Cup match against India. The highly anticipated match, slated for February 15 in Colombo, has been thrown into uncertainty following the Pakistan government's directive to their cricket board.
Ganguly, the former India captain and current President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), stated he was struggling to understand the logic behind the withdrawal. "I don't know why Pakistan won't play against India in the World Cup match," Ganguly said. "This is the first time I've heard that Pakistan won't play against India in the World Cup," he added. He further emphasized the importance of every point in a World Cup tournament. "Backing out of a World Cup for what? They are playing in Sri Lanka anyway. I am surprised Pakistan are backing out. In a World Cup, every point is important,” Ganguly said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has cited a "force majeure" clause, pointing to a government directive linked to political tensions and solidarity with Bangladesh, as the reason for their decision. Bangladesh had earlier withdrawn from matches in India citing security concerns, and were subsequently replaced by Scotland in the tournament. The PCB claims the boycott is a form of protest after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland and declined requests to move matches out of India.
The ICC has requested the PCB to provide detailed evidence and justification for invoking the "force majeure" clause, including steps taken to mitigate the situation and whether alternatives were explored. The ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja reached Lahore on Sunday for talks with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, which was also attended by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam. The global body has warned that simply invoking force majeure won't automatically protect Pakistan from contractual liability or disciplinary measures if the clause is determined not to apply.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the PCB believes they have a strong case, referencing an old PCB-BCCI dispute regarding a bilateral series where the Indian government's refusal to grant the BCCI permission to proceed with the series set a precedent.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan's participation, India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed India's readiness to play the scheduled fixture.
Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup is underway, with heightened security arrangements. Ganguly has backed India as one of the favorites to win the trophy on home soil. "It's a World Cup at home. India's chances are bright on home soil," he said. He also expressed disappointment over Bangladesh's absence from the tournament.