The decision was taken after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.
According to Geo News, Pakistan’s stance is largely linked to what it views as the ICC’s discriminatory handling of Bangladesh’s case in the ongoing controversy surrounding the tournament.
Relations between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) deteriorated after Bangladesh pace star Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League on BCCI’s instructions, triggering strong reactions in Dhaka.
Subsequently, the BCB urged the ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s matches outside India, citing concerns over fairness and security.
However, the request was turned down. With Bangladesh maintaining its position, the ICC replaced them with Scotland, arguing that altering the schedule so close to the tournament’s February 7 start was impractical.
Government sources in Pakistan said the decision to avoid the India match was intended as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh.
“The Pakistan team has been directed not to play the February 15 fixture against India as a form of protest,” the sources said to Geo News.
