Dhaka, Jan 24 (V7N) — Najam Sethi, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has expressed support for the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision not to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup in India due to security concerns. He added that if Pakistan were to boycott the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, he would support that decision as well.

Sethi praised Bangladesh for taking a “fair and strong position” and welcomed the government of Bangladesh for acting as a regulator against what he called Indian dominance in global cricket. He said, “Mohsin Naqvi, the current PCB president, understands the game and all its aspects. Whatever decision he takes will be the right one. If other countries follow Pakistan’s lead, the ICC will realize it is an international body, not just India’s cricket organization.”

The controversy arose after Tiger pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, prompting Bangladesh to request a shift of their World Cup matches to Sri Lanka. Despite discussions between the cricket boards and the ICC, the schedule has remained unchanged.

Media reports from India indicate that Scotland has been included in the World Cup in place of Bangladesh, though the ICC has not yet issued an official statement. The ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to be jointly held by India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

END/SMAS/AJ