Colombo: Amid reports suggesting Pakistan may reconsider its decision to boycott the group league match against India, the men in green got their campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup off to a nervy start on Saturday.
Seemingly on cruise control at 98/2 in the 12th over, chasing a modest 148-run target set by the Netherlands, Pakistan nosedived to 114/7 at Colombo’s SSC ground.
Needing 29 runs in two overs, and just three wickets remaining, the big-hitting Faheem Ashraf calmed nerves by plundering 24 runs in the 19th over, before finishing it off with a boundary off the third ball of the final over.
Faheem’s unbeaten 29 off 11 balls earned him the Player of the Match award, and helped Pakistan avoid major embarrassment in the first game of the India and Sri Lanka co-hosted tournament.
Pakistan, who will be playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, face the USA next. Their clash with arch-rivals India, scheduled on February 15 at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium, is in limbo since the Pakistani government announced its decision to forfeit that game to stand in solidarity with debarred Bangladesh.
However, the highly-anticipated match may yet go ahead.
Sri Lanka’s request
The possibility of Pakistan reconsidering its decision and making a U-turn surfaced after Sri Lanka put in a request to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to boycott the match against India.
The President emphasised the significant financial losses that the Sri Lankan board is likely to incur if the marquee fixture between India and Pakistan is a non-starter.
The PCB is expected to consult Shehbaz Sharif-led government to discuss the Sri Lankan request and take a call.
“Obviously, Pakistan has always enjoyed very close and friendly ties with Sri Lanka at the government-to-government and cricket level. So the mail from their Board can’t be ignored just like that,” PTI quoted a source as saying.
Sri Lanka Board president Shammi Silva directly contacted PCB chairman and minister Mohsin Naqvi, reminding him of the support Sri Lanka needs from Pakistan. He pointed out that without the India-Pakistan match, Sri Lanka would face substantial revenue losses from gate money and hospitality sales.
Naqvi has reportedly assured Silva that he would consult the government and respond. Naqvi clarified that some media reports claiming Pakistan had already rejected Sri Lanka’s request were incorrect.
“PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not been in the country since yesterday and is due back today. He will inform the Prime Minister about the email regarding the boycott of the India match, and a decision will be made by Monday,” the source informed.
