Pakistan will seek guidance from its government if a potential knockout clash against India arises in the ICC T20 World Cup, captain Salman Agha said on Thursday.
The tournament has unfolded amid political tension. The situation intensified after Bangladesh were removed from the competition. Pakistan also declined to face co-hosts India in their Group A fixture.
Still, the possibility remains. Pakistan and India could meet in the semi-final or final if both teams progress.
“The India match is not in our control,” Agha told reporters in Colombo. “It was a government decision. If we reach the semi-final or final and are scheduled to play India, we will consult the government again and follow their advice.”
Bangladesh refused to travel to India due to security concerns. As relations deteriorated, the International Cricket Council (ICC) removed Bangladesh from Group C and replaced them with Scotland.
Pakistan supported Bangladesh’s request to shift matches to Sri Lanka. Islamabad later allowed Pakistan’s team to participate in the tournament. However, the government instructed the side not to play the high-profile group match against India on February 15.
“It’s unfortunate Bangladesh are not here,” Agha said. “They have a strong team. We hope they will support us.”
Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for over a decade. Their meetings now occur only in multinational tournaments.
In the group stage, Pakistan will face Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States.
The skipper said the squad is motivated. “We’re excited to be here. We lost to the USA in the last World Cup. We want to move on from that and correct a few things.”
By forfeiting the India match, Pakistan will lose two crucial points. The decision will also hurt their net run rate. Moreover, any rain-affected game could further complicate qualification.
“We understand the margin for error is very small,” Agha said. “But we can’t control the weather. We are focused on playing good cricket, regardless of conditions.”
Pakistan, champions of the 2009 edition, arrive with strong momentum. They recently completed a 3–0 home series whitewash against Australia.
“We’ve been playing excellent cricket,” Agha said. “We haven’t lost a series since the Asia Cup last year. Everything is coming together, and we’re confident.”
All of Pakistan’s matches will take place in Sri Lanka, where the team toured earlier this year.
“I’m very happy to play in Sri Lanka,” Agha added. “It feels like a second home. This is my sixth visit. We know the conditions well and receive great support.”
