Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following reports that Pakistan will boycott their high-profile T20 World Cup clash against India scheduled for February 15.
The development surfaced after an official X handle linked to the Pakistan government announced the decision, sparking widespread debate. Although Pakistan have been cleared to participate in the tournament, they have reportedly opted out of playing specifically against their arch-rivals India.
“Don’t be surprised if Pakistan takes a U-turn”
Reacting to the controversy, Gavaskar suggested that a reversal of the decision would not come as a shock, pointing to Pakistan cricket’s history of backtracking on major calls.
“I think in the next four or five days, when reactions start coming in from around the world and even from their former players, there is a strong chance Pakistan could change their stance,” Gavaskar said while speaking to Sports Tak.
He added with a sharp remark, “What’s new in this? We’ve often seen Pakistan cricketers announce retirement and then return within days, saying fans asked them to continue. U-turns have happened before, so something like this could easily happen again before February 15.”
Gavaskar calls for ICC intervention
The former opener further urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to step in, stating that the PCB must face consequences if it fails to provide a valid justification for skipping the marquee fixture.
“If Pakistan cannot show a legitimate reason for withdrawing from such a big match, or if there are no contractual grounds for doing so, then the ICC Board should take appropriate action,” Gavaskar said.
World Cup set to begin
The T20 World Cup is set to get underway on February 7, with Pakistan opening their campaign against the Netherlands, while India begin against the USA. Both teams are drawn in Group A, and the cricketing world now waits to see whether Pakistan will ultimately reverse their decision and take the field against India in what is expected to be the tournament’s biggest match.
