ICC starts back-channel efforts after Pakistan opts out of India T20 World Cup clash

Pakistan’s decision to skip its T20 World Cup group match against India, scheduled for February 15, has set off diplomatic efforts by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to defuse the situation and limit potential financial damage, according to a newspaper report.

Citing sources, the report said that the global cricket body is exploring various options, including addressing any concerns raised by Pakistan, in an attempt to keep the match on track.

It said that the ICC is not acting alone. A couple of other cricket boards have also become involved, supporting the governing body’s back-channel efforts to find common ground with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Some observers have criticised Pakistan’s move, arguing that unlike those past cases, no clear reason was stated. However, the report said the PCB is aware of this criticism and plans to base its stance on proceedings before the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC). Pakistan had filed a case there in 2018 over India’s failure to implement a memorandum of understanding signed between the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2014.

Under that agreement, the two boards had committed to playing six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023, a schedule that never materialised.

An India-Pakistan clash is widely regarded as the most commercially valuable fixture in international cricket and a key pillar of the ICC’s revenue stream. Media estimates put the match’s total commercial worth at around $500 million, taking into account broadcast rights, advertising rates, sponsorships, ticket sales and related business.

Advertising during an India-Pakistan T20 encounter alone can reportedly cost between Rs2.5 million and Rs4 million for a 10-second slot.