After announcing the boycott of the match against India, the Indian media is pressuring the ICC to punish Pakistan.
Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani says Pakistan cannot be punished for boycotting the group match against India as the decision was taken under government guidelines and is outside the ICC’s disciplinary powers.
Pakistan has announced that the national team will not play India in the high-profile match to be held in Colombo on February 15.
In a statement on social media, the Pakistan government announced that the team will play the remaining matches of the tournament as per their schedule.
Former PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said in this regard that if Pakistan follows the orders of the government then no restrictions can be imposed on it.
Citing the example of the 2025 Champions Trophy, Ehsan Mani said the same rule was applied when India refused to play Pakistan.
Accusing the ICC of adopting double standards, he said the organization remained a silent spectator rather than solving the problem.
On the other hand, the ICC has expressed displeasure over the Pakistan government’s order and warned that non-participation in selected matches may have consequences.
According to the ICC, this behavior is not compatible with the norms of a global sporting event.
It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet written an official letter to the ICC regarding the boycott of the match.
