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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday said in the context of his recent engagements with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and International Cricket Council (ICC) officials that the purpose was to \u201cget respect for Bangladesh\u201d.<\/p>\n
Naqvi said this while speaking to the media in Peshawar, a day after the government announced<\/a> it was withdrawing its decision to boycott the group-stage match against India in T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15.<\/p>\n The development followed protracted negotiations<\/a> between the ICC, the cricket boards of Pakistan and Bangladesh, consultations<\/a> among national leaders and interventions by friendly nations such as Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n The now-withdrawn decision to boycott the match against arch-rival India was announced<\/a> by the government on February 1 after Bangladesh were replaced<\/u><\/a> by Scotland in the tournament, following their refusal<\/u><\/a> to tour India over safety concerns in the wake of soured political relations between the Asian neighbours.<\/p>\n The matter was raised during Naqvi\u2019s media talk in Peshawar on Tuesday, where he was asked about several conditions that were reportedly put forward during his meeting with the ICC and BCB officials on Sunday.<\/p>\n In his response, Naqvi said: \u201cWe did not discuss anything apart from Bangladesh; our only purpose was to get Bangladesh respect, to highlight the injustice done to them.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you saw that whatever demands Bangladesh made, they were accepted. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cWe had no personal interest in the meeting \u2026 our task was purely related to Bangladesh. The government made the decision on that [basis]. When their demands have been accepted, and it has been acknowledged that injustice was done to them, we are playing after that.\u201d<\/p>\n The developments unfolded as the ongoing T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, began on February 7. It was, however, overshadowed by an acrimonious political build-up after Bangladesh, who refused<\/u><\/a> to play in India citing security concerns, were replaced<\/u><\/a> by Scotland.<\/p>\n Bangladesh remained firm<\/u><\/a> on not taking part in the event after the ICC rejected<\/u><\/a> their request<\/u><\/a> to move their matches to Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n After mulling its stance over the arising situation, Pakistan gave its cricket team the nod<\/u><\/a> to participate in the World Cup, but said the Green Shirts would not play their match with arch-rivals India, scheduled to be held in Colombo.<\/p>\n In response to the development, even before the official communication from the PCB, the ICC, in a statement, said the position of \u201cselective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule\u201d.<\/p>\n It expressed the hope that the PCB would consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country. Subsequently, it was reported<\/u><\/a> last week that the ICC had initiated back-channel efforts to resolve the issue and avoid significant financial losses.<\/p>\n Sri Lanka\u2019s cricket board had also asked<\/u><\/a> Pakistan to reconsider the decision to boycott the match with India.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, skipper Salman Agha stated that if Pakistan were to face India in a semi-final or final, they would again consult<\/u><\/a> the government.<\/p>\n On Sunday, the BCB chief and ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khawaja landed in Lahore and held a long meeting with Naqvi.<\/p>\n A day later, Sri Lankan President Dissanayake also urged Pakistan to play its T20 World Cup clash against India in a phone call<\/a> with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Meanwhile, BCB President Aminul Islam urged Pakistan to play the match against India.<\/p>\n The government then announced the withdrawal of its earlier decision to boycott the match against India while an ICC statement said \u201cthat no financial, sporting or administrative penalty will be imposed on Bangladesh Cricket Board\u201d.<\/p>\n The statement also said that to compensate Dhaka, it was agreed that \u201cBangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Men\u2019s Cricket World Cup 2031\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n