Sourav Ganguly on Pakistan T20 World Cup Controversy:
Sourav Ganguly has reacted strongly to Pakistan’s stance on boycotting the match against India in the T20 World Cup. The former Indian captain expressed displeasure over this decision and criticized the PCB. Ganguly stated that he cannot understand why Pakistan is talking about backing out of a major tournament like the World Cup. He also reminded that the Pakistani team is already playing matches in Sri Lanka. According to Ganguly, every match and every point in the World Cup is extremely important, making such a decision surprising.
It is noteworthy that Pakistan, supporting Bangladesh’s decision, had announced a boycott of their match against India. Before the start of the tournament, Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav clearly stated that Team India is fully prepared for the World Cup match against their arch-rivals Pakistan. This match is scheduled to be played in Colombo on February 15.
During the captains’ media briefing in Colombo on Thursday, Suryakumar Yadav clarified that there is no change in India’s stance regarding the match against Pakistan. He said that Team India is fully prepared for the Group A match to be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15. Suryakumar bluntly stated that the Indian team is going to play the match, the flight has been booked, and the rest is up to Pakistan to decide. He also reminded that India had played against Pakistan at a neutral venue in the Asia Cup 2025 as well. According to Suryakumar, the team has been informed that the match is scheduled for February 15, and preparations are being made accordingly.
Signs of change in Pakistan’s stance
There are signs of softening in Pakistan’s stance regarding the boycott of the World Cup match against India. The reason is cited to be a recent meeting in Lahore, where the ICC clearly warned the PCB that Pakistani cricket could suffer heavy losses if they do not play the match. In view of this, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi is scheduled to discuss this issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday. It is believed that it will be decided after this meeting whether the India-Pakistan match will be played or not.
