Pakistan and India cricket followers displaay their flags at a match. — AFP
Pakistan’s choice to go forward with their blockbuster Group A match in opposition to India on the T20 World Cup on February 15 was hailed on Tuesday as an outbreak of “good sense” and “good for cricket”.
Islamabad late on Monday night time ended a week-long stand-off by rescinding its order for the cricket workforce to boycott the match in Colombo.
The largest and most profitable conflict in world cricket was revived after a frantic weekend of negotiations.
It culminated in Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chiefs flying to Lahore on Sunday for talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The governments of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka each wrote to Pakistan on Monday, urging it to alter its stance and permit the sport to go forward, and simply earlier than midnight, they obtained their want.
After “multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15”, learn a press release issued by the federal government on late Monday night time.
The choice had been taken with the goal of “protecting the spirit of cricket”, it added.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal informed AFP on Tuesday: “Pakistan did shake up the ICC by repeatedly saying they would not play.
“Finally, the ICC needed to ship officers to Pakistan to type out the difficulty” and that was “good for cricket”.
“We wish robust groups to play in order that the appeal of the World Cup isn’t misplaced,” he added.
‘Loss-loss situation’
Sri Lanka, who will host the match which generates multi-millions of dollars in advertising, broadcast rights, sponsorship and tourism, also hailed the decision.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “making certain the sport all of us love goes on”.
“Delighted that the eagerly awaited India and Pakistan match on the ongoing T20 Cricket World Cup in Colombo will proceed as deliberate,” Dissanayake said in a social media post.
Veteran Indian journalist Pradeep Magazine told AFP “good sense has prevailed on all sides”.
Financial considerations would have been taken into account, he added.
“India-Pakistan is not only about cricket income — it additionally means wider industrial income,” he said.
“Everybody realised that dropping the income from an India-Pakistan match would have been a loss-loss scenario for all ICC member nations.”
Bitter political rivals Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for more than a decade and meet only at global or regional tournament events, and only on neutral territory.
The 20-team tournament had been overshadowed by an acrimonious political build-up.
Bangladesh, who refused to play in India citing security concerns, were replaced by Scotland.
As a protest, the Pakistan government ordered the team not to face co-hosts India in the Group A fixture.
Pakistan, who edged out Netherlands in the tournament opener on Saturday, would have conceded two points if they had forfeited the match, which could have put their chances of progressing in the tournament in jeopardy.
They play the USA in their second group match in Colombo later today (Tuesday).
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said on Friday that his team would travel to Colombo for the clash, whether the game was on or not.
“We have not mentioned no to enjoying them,” Suryakumar said. “Our flights are booked and we’re going to Colombo.”
