Bangladesh treated unfairly over T20 World Cup: PCB chairman

Pakistan's interior minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said Bangladesh is being treated unfairly over the T20 World Cup. Supporting Bangladesh's request for a venue change, he told the ICC that Bangladesh deserves the same concessions that India and Pakistan were given in the past.

He also said Pakistan would discuss with its government the possibility of boycotting the tournament if Bangladesh is not allowed to play. Naqvi made these comments at a press conference in Lahore on Saturday.

Citing security concerns in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested a change of venue from the ICC on Thursday, 4 January. After a board meeting on Sunday, 21 January, the ICC said Bangladesh would have to play in India as per the original schedule. According to a Cricinfo report, the ICC informed the BCB on Friday evening that Scotland would be included in the World Cup in place of Bangladesh. However, the ICC has yet to make any official announcement on the matter.

Against this backdrop, Naqvi spoke to the media in Lahore on Saturday. Making his first public comments on Bangladesh's participation in the World Cup, the PCB chairman said, "An injustice has been done to Bangladesh. I said the same thing at the ICC board meeting as well. You cannot have a double standard, where one country can make decisions whenever it wants, while another country is treated in a completely opposite way."

Expressing support for Bangladesh in his capacity as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Naqvi said, "We believe Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and, under any circumstances, they should be given the opportunity to play in the World Cup. They are a major stakeholder in cricket, and this injustice should not be done to them."

Reports have appeared in Pakistani media in recent days about a possible boycott of the World Cup by Pakistan. When asked about this possibility, the PCB chief said the decision would be taken by the Pakistani government. "The Prime Minister is currently out of the country. Once he returns, we will be able to announce our final decision. This is the government's decision. We are under the government, not the ICC."

Asked whether he would propose a hybrid model for Bangladesh, similar to the one used for India and Pakistan, Naqvi replied, "The point is that Bangladesh is a member just like Pakistan. Our position is that if you have given this facility in the cases of Pakistan and India, then the same should be done for Bangladesh. The basic reason is that one country cannot dictate to another. And if such pressure is attempted, then Pakistan will certainly have its own position."

When asked whether there was a 'Plan B' if Pakistan also decided not to play in the T20 World Cup, Naqvi joked, "Let the decision come first; we have Plan A, B, C, D — everything."