The ICC has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board that it faces the prospect of legal action from the official broadcaster of the T20 World Cup, JioStar, for boycotting its February 15 match against India, a PCB source said on Tuesday.
Pakistan decided to boycott the match in Colombo on February 15 at the behest of its government, but the ICC has not yet officially specified the reasons.
As reported by PTI, there is a possibility that the ICC will retain Pakistan’s entire annual revenue share of around USD 35 million and pay the broadcasters from that purse.
Also Read: ICC Prepares To Lose USD 250 Million If India Vs Pak Match Not Played
A PCB source informed that although chairman Mohsin Naqvi took advice from the board’s legal experts before informing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matter last week, the board is preparing. some serious consequences.
“If Pakistan does not back down and play India, not only will it face financial penalties, possibly a lawsuit from the broadcasters, but any efforts to approach the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) are likely to fail,” a PCB source told PTI.
ICC DRC is an internal committee that does not hear appeals against decisions made by its own board.
“The PCB may face problems regardless of their government order not to play India as they are playing all their matches at a neutral venue (Sri Lanka) as per their wish and not in India,” another PCB source said.
“Secondly, while the Indian government did not allow its team to play in Pakistan, it did not prevent it from playing against Pakistan at neutral venues in the Asia Cup or ICC tournaments even after the May conflict,” added a board source who follows Naqvi closely.
The PCB is yet to communicate in writing with the ICC, but the decision to boycott is seen as an act of solidarity with Bangladesh following their expulsion.
“When the ICC signed its four-year deal with the broadcaster for all ICC events, the deal included Pakistan and India matches on which the broadcaster made payments to the ICC,” the source explained.
“Therefore, the broadcaster will have the right to take the PCB and the ICC to court for serious breach of contract.”
Will NAQVI U-turn AFTER BANGLADESH ELECTIONS?
There is a perception that Naqvi, who is also his country’s interior minister, might just turn around once Bangladesh’s general elections are held on February 12 and a democratic government replaces the current government led by Muhammad Yunus.
“Naqvi is more than a cricket administrator, he is a politician who is not bothered at all about the welfare of the national team. He is trying to get his point across and once the elections are held on February 12, he could flip it.”
“With two days to go before the India match, things could change. Otherwise, he knows Pakistan could be ostracized,” said another source who follows Pakistan cricket.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 3, 2026
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