Overview:
The PCB has not officially informed the ICC in writing, but the boycott is seen as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh after their exit from the tournament.
The ICC has issued a warning to the Pakistan Cricket Board, suggesting the possibility of legal action from JioHotStar, the official broadcaster of the T20 World Cup, over their decision to boycott the February 15 match against India, according to a PCB source. Pakistan have opted to skip the February 15 match in Colombo on the directive of their government.
According to PTI, the ICC might withhold Pakistan’s entire annual revenue share, approximately USD 35 million, and use those funds to pay the broadcasters. A PCB source revealed that Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had sought advice from legal experts before briefing PM Shehbaz Sharif on the matter last week, but the board is now preparing for serious consequences.
“If Pakistan refuse to play against India, they could face financial penalties, possibly a lawsuit from the broadcasters, and any attempts to approach the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) are likely to be unsuccessful,” a PCB source told PTI.
“The PCB may face challenges despite the government’s directive to avoid playing India, as they have chosen to play all their matches at a neutral venue (Sri Lanka) instead of India,” another PCB source said.
The PCB has not officially informed the ICC in writing, but the boycott is seen as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh after their exit from the tournament.
“Secondly, although the Indian government has not granted permission for its team to play in Pakistan, it has allowed them to face Pakistan at neutral venues during events like the Asia Cup or ICC tournaments, even,” he added.
“When the ICC signed a four-year deal with the broadcaster for all the tournaments, the contract covered matches between Pakistan and India, with the broadcaster making payments to the ICC based on that agreement. Therefore, the broadcaster would take the PCB and ICC to court for contract breach,” he explained.