Will the International Cricket Council (ICC) sanction the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for boycotting the India vs Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup 2026? Former ICC Chairman Ehsan Mani doesn’t reckon the international cricket body is within their rights to take any action against PCB.
Yesterday, the Pakistan government confirmed participation in the T20 World Cup with an asterisk. Without stating a reason, it was announced that the much-anticipated fixture against India on February 15 in Colombo won’t go ahead.
Why Pakistan can’t be sanctioned
The ICC has released a statement, whereby they urged PCB to ‘explore a mutually acceptable resolution’ and even issued an indirect threat. But Mani, who has served as PCB Chairman, doesn’t think ICC can punish Pakistan.
The PCB can’t be held accountable for what is the Pakistan government’s decision. Mani argued that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy last year after the Indian government’s directive. If BCCI wasn’t sanctioned by the ICC, why should PCB be for following the directive of Pakistan’s government?
“There can’t be any sanctions against Pakistan if it follows the government instructions. That was the basis on which India refused to play its 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. You can’t have double standards,” Mani told Sportstar.
ICC found wanting
The experienced cricket administrator believes ICC was sleeping behind the wheel. They didn’t take PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s displeasure seriously, despite knowing that he’s a high-ranking minister in the current Pakistan government. The situation has spiralled out of control now, and ICC shares a fair deal of blame for it.
“So, unfortunately, again I come back to the fact that instead of dealing with the problem, the ICC just stood there as a bystander. You left the door open for any country to get its government involved. And especially knowing that the chairman of the PCB is a serving minister of the government,” he added.
