Pakistan captain Agha Salman said it is “unfortunate” that Bangladesh will not feature at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, telling reporters at the captains’ media day in Colombo that Pakistan “values the support of Bangladeshis” and would have preferred them in the tournament.
Addressing Pakistan’s boycott of the group-stage match against India, Salman stressed the decision lies with the state: “The India match isn’t in our control. It’s a government call and we’ll respect whatever they decide. We’re focused on the other three group games.” The stance follows a fraught build-up in which ICC removed Bangladesh from the event after Dhaka refused to travel to India on security grounds—tensions that escalated following the IPL exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman.
Pressed on a potential knockout meeting with India, Salman said Pakistan would again seek government guidance before taking the field: “If it’s a semifinal or final, we’ll go back to the authorities and act on their advice.”
Pakistan are drawn with the Netherlands, United States and Namibia in Group A and open their campaign on February 7 against the Netherlands. “Last time is history,” Salman said, alluding to Pakistan’s previous loss to the USA. “New World Cup, new combinations—I want to lead from the front and create an environment where everyone can give their best.”