Why is Pakistan Disappointed Over Bangladesh's World Cup Matches?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan's disappointment stems from the ICC's handling of Bangladesh's match locations.
- There are no plans for Pakistan to withdraw from the T20 World Cup.
- Former players advocate for equal treatment among cricketing nations.
- The T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
- Concerns about ICC's decisions favoring India persist.
Mumbai, Jan 22 (NationPress) The International Cricket Council (ICC) decision to continue with Bangladesh's matches in the forthcoming Men's T20 World Cup in India as planned has left Pakistan feeling disheartened. A former star remarked that the outcome was anticipated, according to a news report released on Wednesday.
Pakistan expressed its discontent after the ICC declined Bangladesh's request to shift their T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns. However, sources indicated that Pakistan will not withdraw from the tournament to support Bangladesh, as reported by Telecom Asia Sport.
“Pakistan supported Bangladesh’s position on principle because, at India’s behest, their matches were relocated from Pakistan to Dubai. However, the same rationale from Bangladesh was dismissed, which is disappointing,” sources conveyed to www.telecomasia.net.
While the sources mentioned that Pakistan is exploring various alternatives, withdrawal from the event is not on the table. “Pakistan is considering multiple options, but stepping back from the event is neither an option nor was it ever considered,” the sources stated.
Furthermore, PCB officials understand there is no substantial reason to boycott the event since they are already participating at a neutral venue where security concerns are negligible.
It was noted that Pakistan has never officially threatened to withdraw from the event, and most reports have emerged from social media.
According to the report, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal expressed that the ICC's decision was predictable.
“Most ICC decisions tend to favor India, which is troubling as member nations deserve fair treatment,” Kamran stated to Telecomasia.net.
He cited the Champions Trophy scenario as an instance where India's influence was accepted because of their significance as a revenue generator for the ICC, which also pressured Pakistan to host the 2023 Asia Cup under a hybrid model.
The report mentioned that Kamran perceives the ICC's hands were tied in this situation. “The ICC was in a challenging position since they had already set the schedule, and altering it at this stage was complicated,” he added.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place jointly in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.