Uncertainty continues to loom over a potential India–Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) indicating that it will consult Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before taking a final call a move critics say once again exposes Pakistan’s inability to separate sport from politics.

The PCB’s admission has drawn sharp reactions from cricket observers, who argue that international cricket operates under the International Cricket Council’s framework and not on the approval of political executives. By seeking government clearance for a scheduled ICC fixture, Pakistan risks projecting indecision and politicisation at a time when global cricket governance demands consistency and contractual compliance.

Analysts note that Pakistan has repeatedly used political consultations as leverage or cover to delay decisions involving India, only to later reverse course under financial and regulatory pressure. India–Pakistan matches are the biggest revenue generators in world cricket, and Pakistan’s hesitation is widely seen as symbolic posturing rather than a position backed by practical leverage.

Former cricketers and administrators have warned that dragging the prime minister’s office into routine sporting decisions weakens Pakistan’s credibility within the ICC and reinforces perceptions of institutional fragility within the PCB. “No other major cricket board needs political clearance to play a World Cup match,” one analyst remarked.

India, for its part, has maintained that it operates strictly within ICC rules and schedules, placing the onus on Pakistan to honour its commitments. ICC officials are understood to be monitoring developments closely, wary of any disruption that could set a damaging precedent for future tournaments.

Pakistan’s repeated brinkmanship over India fixtures has previously resulted in financial losses, diplomatic embarrassment and diminished influence within cricket’s governing structures. Critics argue that instead of focusing on performance, governance reforms and rebuilding its cricketing ecosystem, Pakistan continues to entangle the sport in political calculations.

As the tournament approaches, observers say the real question is not whether the match will happen, but whether Pakistan can afford economically, reputationally and institutionally another standoff it is unlikely to win. 

This image is taken from The Tribune.