Sri Lanka urges Pakistan to reconsider Indias T20 World Cup boycott

Sri Lanka Cricket Board Requests Pakistan to Reconsider Boycott of India Match

The Sri Lanka Cricket board has reached out to the Pakistan Cricket Board, urging them to reconsider their decision to boycott a match against India in the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the island. The scheduled encounter was set for February 15 in Colombo.

Pakistan initially decided not to play India due to solidarity with Bangladesh, which was excluded from the tournament after refusing to participate in matches held in India. This decision marks a rare instance of Pakistan and India competing at a global or regional event, as bilateral cricket between the two nations has been absent for over a decade.

Sri Lanka Cricket expressed concerns that a boycott would result in significant financial losses for the board and potentially harm the island’s tourism industry, which is still recovering from an economic meltdown. The board stated that any non-participation would have far-reaching implications, including substantial financial exposure and potential loss of anticipated tourism inflows.

Pakistan and India are scheduled to meet again if they progress to the knockout stage of the tournament. Pakistan captain Salman Agha mentioned that his team would consult with their government in such a scenario. The request from Sri Lanka Cricket comes as India is set to begin its T20 World Cup campaign against the US on Saturday, while Pakistan plays their first match of the tournament against the Netherlands also on Saturday.

Source: Al Jazeera