BCB too concerned about Pakistan’s decision to ‘boycott India’

Pakistan has not yet officially explained its reasons for deciding to boycott a match against India at the T20 World Cup.

However, this decision will affect not only the two countries but also global cricket as a whole. Bangladesh will not remain unaffected by its repercussions.

When asked for reactions to Pakistan’s decision, no director of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) agreed to speak on record.

Nonetheless, everyone remains concerned about the potential financial losses following Pakistan’s stance, as the BCB’s primary source of income comes from the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) revenue distribution.

The on-field rivalry between India and Pakistan has lost much of its competitive edge in recent times. At the most recent Asia Cup, Pakistan faced India three times and lost on every occasion.

Yet, beyond match results and sporting rivalry, the India–Pakistan fixture carries a much broader significance.

After the Pakistan government announced its decision on Tuesday night, the ICC responded by stating that Pakistan’s refusal to play the match would affect the entire global cricket ‘ecosystem’.

The economic impact would prove the most severe. BCB officials share this concern.

A senior BCB director, speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, said, “If the India–Pakistan match does not take place, the entire cricketing world will face financial losses. Even our dividend will decrease. We did not want such losses.”

He also pointed to Pakistan’s motivation behind such a firm decision, adding, “Pakistan wanted to send a strong message to Indian cricket. They wanted to challenge India’s dominance. From that perspective, the decision may make sense.”

Political hostility with India remains one of the key reasons behind Pakistan’s refusal to play the match.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has, from the outset, opposed declining requests to change Bangladesh’s venue and organising the World Cup without Bangladesh.

He has also spoken in favour of Bangladesh at ICC meetings. Many therefore view Pakistan’s decision as a gesture of support for Bangladesh.

From that perspective, many also interpret the move as a strong message directed at India.

One BCB director said, “The ICC excluded us without properly listening to our position. Some response was inevitable. Pakistan’s decision not to play India is a very significant development.”

However, his remarks also reflected frustration. The BCB will already face financial losses because Bangladesh will not participate in this year’s T20 World Cup.

Domestic cricket no longer generates substantial revenue. The income from sponsorships and broadcast rights barely suffices to cover the annual costs of running cricket in the country.

A BCB director involved in the sequence of events surrounding Bangladesh’s absence from the World Cup said yesterday, Tuesday, “This will directly affect the ICC’s central revenue pool. Like everyone else, we are also stakeholders in that fund. Take Kenya or Uganda, for example. They would be satisfied with a USD 100,000-200,000. But given our infrastructure, how will we survive if ICC revenues decline?”

Beyond the economic impact, Bangladesh’s cricketing relations with India have now become openly strained, similar to those between India and Pakistan.

The BCB believes this tension will negatively affect future tour schedules, including the Asia Cup.

Nevertheless, despite everything, officials remain hopeful that the crisis will soon pass. One board director concluded, “The door to dialogue can always be opened, let us see what happens.”