Sri Lankan President Thanks Pakistan PM for T20 World Cup Match Confirmation
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the President of Sri Lanka, expressed his appreciation to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ensuring that the highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan at the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will take place as scheduled on February 15. He conveyed his thanks via a post on X, stating, "Thank you Prime Minister @CMShehbaz for ensuring the game we all love goes on. Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match at the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as planned."
Dissanayake further acknowledged the efforts of the ICC and all parties involved, recalling the solidarity shown by both India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup when they played in Colombo despite security concerns.
Pakistan Government Approves Match Participation
The Government of Pakistan has instructed its National Cricket Team to participate in the match against India on February 15, as part of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. This decision followed a briefing from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding discussions with the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Initially, Pakistan had considered boycotting the match in solidarity with Bangladesh, which was removed from the tournament due to security issues.
Prime Minister Sharif engaged in a conversation with President Dissanayake, emphasizing the historical support between the two nations during difficult times. The Pakistani government has now directed its cricket team to proceed with the match, reflecting the outcomes of multilateral discussions.
Diplomatic Efforts Lead to Resolution
Following a meeting at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium involving the ICC, PCB, and BCB, the BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul urged Pakistan to participate in the upcoming match against India. The Pakistani government acknowledged the formal requests from the BCB and supportive communications from Sri Lanka and other nations, which sought Pakistan's leadership in resolving the situation.
The statement from the Pakistani government expressed gratitude for the support received from Bangladesh and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to standing alongside its neighbor.
Background of the Controversy
This development follows an announcement from the Pakistan Government's official X account indicating that the team would not participate in the February 15 match, linking the decision to the ongoing controversy with Bangladesh. Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup after their request to play all matches outside India was not accepted by the ICC. This request stemmed from concerns regarding the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh, particularly after the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad due to directives from the BCCI.