Karachi: Bangladesh Cricket Board president Amin ul Islam has arrived in Lahore ahead of a virtual meeting involving the International Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board, as efforts intensify to resolve the standoff over Pakistan’s proposed boycott of its T20 World Cup match against India.
A former Test cricketer, Amin ul Islam met Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Lahore and is expected to participate in the virtual discussions aimed at persuading Pakistan to reconsider its decision not to play India in the World T20 Cup clash scheduled for February 15.
While Naqvi has refrained from making detailed public comments on the government’s directive to boycott the match, a reliable source said the situation has evolved after Sri Lanka Cricket sent an email to the PCB urging it to withdraw the boycott.
ICC Chief Executive Officer Sang Gupta has also travelled to Colombo to meet Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva, who subsequently wrote to Naqvi calling on Pakistan to play the India fixture in the World Cup.
The ICC has already sought a formal explanation from Pakistan on how the ‘force majeure’ clause could be invoked to justify the team’s refusal to play the T20 World Cup match against India, after the PCB attempted to shift responsibility to the government.
However, there is now a glimmer of hope, with the PCB having approached the ICC for deliberations. An ICC director said the board believes the marquee clash will eventually take place.
The ICC is currently engaging with the PCB in a structured manner to explore possible resolutions, maintaining that the interests of the game must take precedence over unilateral action.
Pakistan decided to boycott the India match in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India for World Cup matches, citing security concerns.
With PTI inputs