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Sri Lanka’s cricket board on Thursday urged Pakistan to reconsider its decision to boycott its first-round T20 World Cup match against arch-rivals India, scheduled to be played in Colombo.
Pakistan opted out of the February 15 fixture to show solidarity with Bangladesh, which was excluded from the tournament after declining to play its matches in India.
India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket for more than ten years and only face each other at international or regional tournaments.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) warned the Pakistan Cricket Board that a boycott would have serious financial consequences and further damage the country’s tourism sector, which is still recovering from the 2022 economic crisis.
“Any non-participation will have far-reaching implications, including significant financial exposure for SLC and the possible loss of expected tourism revenue,” the board said.
SLC also reminded Pakistan that Sri Lanka had previously toured the country to show solidarity and help revive international cricket, even as other teams stayed away due to security concerns.
“We urge you to consider the exceptional circumstances, the longstanding relationship between our two boards, and the wider interests of the game,” Sri Lanka Cricket said, appealing to Pakistan to honour the fixture.
India begins their T20 World Cup campaign on Saturday at home against the United States, while Pakistan also start on Saturday in Colombo against the Netherlands.
Although Pakistan have boycotted the group-stage match against India, the two sides could still meet later in the tournament. Pakistan captain Salman Agha said the team would consult the government if a semi-final or final clash with India were to arise.
