IND vs PAK T20 World Cup Match Row: Pakistan Ends Its ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ Boycott Drama — Here’s Why The U-Turn Move Was Expected

The long awaited India vs Pakistan game at the ICC Men T20 World Cup 2016 is back on again after a radical policy turnaround by the Government of Pakistan. Pakistan had earlier in the month declared its boycott of the February 15 group match against India in Colombo even though it had promised to be present in the rest of the tournament, an act that was largely interpreted as a political protest against the decision to expel Bangladesh because of security reasons. That move was controversial and critics raised sporting and financial repercussions such as loss of revenue and possible ICC penalties.

IND vs PAK T20 World Cup Match Row: Here’s Why The U-Turn Move Was Expected

But later in the evening of Monday, the government of Pakistan had removed its boycott statement and said that it had re examined its position with an intention of defending the spirit of cricket and due to the demand by other friendly national boards such as the Cricket Board president of Bangladesh Aminul Islam. According to the amended directive, the Pakistan national team has been asked to appear to play the planned match against India. The turnaround comes after days of negotiations between the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other member boards and highlights the waters of diplomacy behind cricket and the struggle to maintain the integrity of the global tournament.

IND vs PAK Match T20 World Cup 

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also said that Sri Lanka has not forgotten the solidarity shown by both India and Pakistan during the 1996 World Cup, when they played in Colombo at a time when others refrained due to security concerns. This restored excitement both among fans and stakeholders who know that India Pakistan games customarily produce huge global audiences and commercial interests and has been an iconic event of any ICC tournament. As both teams will now be playing on February 15 as previously scheduled the stage has now been laid out to make one of the largest matches of the T20 World Cup, based on the fact of the long held attraction of this competition and the competition ability of the sport in bringing politics together.

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