The ICC has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about potential legal action from JioHotStar, the official broadcaster of the T20 World Cup. This follows Pakistan’s decision to skip the match against India on February 15, based on their government’s directive.
According to reports from PTI, the ICC might withhold Pakistan’s annual revenue share of approximately USD 35 million, using those funds to compensate broadcasters. A PCB source stated that Chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted legal experts before discussing the matter with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week, as the board anticipates significant repercussions.
“If Pakistan does not play against India, they could face financial penalties, including a possible lawsuit from the broadcasters. Any requests to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) are likely to fail,” a PCB source told PTI.
“Despite the government’s directive to avoid playing India, the PCB may encounter challenges because they have opted to play all their matches at a neutral venue (Sri Lanka) rather than in India,” another source explained.
The PCB has yet to communicate their boycott to the ICC officially, but the decision is interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh following their exit from the tournament.
“Furthermore, while the Indian government has not approved their team’s participation in Pakistan, they have permitted matches at neutral venues during events like the Asia Cup or ICC tournaments,” he added.
“When the ICC entered a four-year contract with the broadcaster for all tournaments, it included matches between Pakistan and India. The broadcaster then could sue the PCB and ICC for breaching this contract,” he noted.
