Sri Lanka Cricket writes to PCB, warns India boycott will trigger massive economic fallout; forces rethink: Report

Sri Lanka Cricket warned the PCB that Pakistan's non-participation in the India T20 World Cup tie would have catastrophic financial consequences for the country

President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Shamni Silva, on Thursday wrote to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), requesting that they reconsider their decision to boycott the T20 World Cup Group A match against India, scheduled for February 15 at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.

Pakistan are set to boycott their T20 World Cup match against India (AFP)

While the PCB is yet to officially convey its stance to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified during a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday that the players would not take the field against India as an act of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the World Cup by the apex body last month.

According to a report in Sri Lankan publication Newswire, SLC’s letter to the PCB highlighted the board’s eagerness to host the marquee India-Pakistan clash and stated that all “commercial, operational, logistical, and security arrangements for the match” had already been finalised. “This includes hospitality planning and the sale of match tickets,” the report said. Sri Lanka also underlined the strong demand for tickets, reflecting unprecedented public interest and significant commercial expectations.

Amid a long speculation over Pakistan’s potential boycott, Colombo has already been hit by multiple hotel cancellations. “Hotels had prepared for a sharp increase in international visitors linked to the high-profile fixture, and the cancellations have directly impacted occupancy projections during the World Cup period,” the report said, citing industry sources.

In what was described as a detailed letter, SLC also reminded the PCB of past cooperation, including Sri Lanka’s tours of Pakistan on several occasions despite challenging and sensitive circumstances.

The most recent instance came in November last year, when the Sri Lankan team was touring Pakistan for a white-ball series and a suicide bomber detonated himself outside a judicial complex in Islamabad, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The incident occurred nearly 16 years after the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked by terrorists outside Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.