In the end, it took the full machinery of international cricket’s diplomacy – late-night talks in Lahore, interventions from the ICC, quiet words from friendly nations – to ensure that the fixture everyone knew had to happen actually would. For a few fraught days this month, the T20 World Cup’s marquee clash between India and Pakistan teetered on the edge of cancellation, another casualty of the region’s tangled politics. That it survived, to be played on Sunday evening at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, says something profound about the strange, stubborn power of this particular contest. It does not merely sustain cricket; in many ways, it defines it.
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Pakistan deny seeking ICC exit over India match
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Cricket’s India problem
As the T20 World Cup opens tomorrow in a blaze of floodlights and fanfare, the shadow of a missing blockbuster looms large. The India-Pakistan encounter, set for 15 February in Colombo, is cricket’s equivalent of a heavyweight title fight – a clash that pulls in viewers by the hundreds of millions and swells the coffers of broadcasters and the International Cricket Council (ICC) alike. But Pakistan’s refusal to take the field, a bold act of solidarity with ousted Bangladesh, has thrust the sport’s governance into crisis. This isn’t just about one no-show; it’s a stark reminder of how India’s financial muscle has warped the game’s level playing field, leaving smaller boards to scrape for fairness in a system rigged against them.
PM Sharif backs boycott of India T20 World Cup match in support of Bangladesh
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