THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
When Pakistan announced they would boycott their match against India at the T20 World Cup, they claimed it was to show solidarity with Bangladesh. Pakistan’s Prime Minister said they were standing with Bangladesh because Bangladesh had been excluded from the tournament. This sounds noble on the surface. So why hasn’t the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) been loudly thanking Pakistan for this brave stand?
The answer is simple: because Pakistan’s “solidarity” is actually hurting Bangladesh financially.
The Uncomfortable Truth
While Bangladesh’s government officials did post polite “thank you” messages on social media, the BCB itself has remained remarkably quiet. This silence speaks volumes. BCB officials have privately admitted they’re worried because when Pakistan boycotts the India-Pakistan match, everyone loses money—including Bangladesh.
The India-Pakistan cricket match is the biggest money-maker in world cricket. A single India-Pakistan match generates around $250 million or more. This money doesn’t just go to India and Pakistan—it goes into the ICC’s pool, which then gets distributed to all cricket boards, including Bangladesh.
When Pakistan cancels this match, the ICC loses hundreds of millions of dollars. Broadcasters lose money. Sponsors lose money. And every cricket board’s dividend gets smaller—including Bangladesh’s. As one BCB official admitted: “Even our dividend will decrease.”
So Bangladesh finds itself in an absurd situation: their government is politically thanking Pakistan for solidarity, while their cricket board is privately worried that this “solidarity” will actually reduce their income.
Is Pakistan Blackmailing the ICC?
The evidence strongly suggests yes, Pakistan is using the boycott threat as leverage to extract better financial terms from the ICC.
Consider these facts:
First, the timing is suspicious. Pakistan has suddenly invoked something called “force majeure”—a legal term for unforeseeable emergencies beyond your control. But Pakistan made a deliberate political choice to boycott. The ICC has asked them to explain how a government decision counts as an unforeseeable emergency.
Second, the financial stakes are enormous for Pakistan. They risk losing their $144 million share from the ICC’s current funding cycle. They could face broadcaster compensation claims worth hundreds of millions. No country would take such massive financial risks purely for solidarity with another nation—unless they believed they could get something even bigger in return.
Third, sources close to the negotiations have revealed the real game. Reports indicate that Pakistan’s strong stance has put them in a good position to bargain for increased funding from the ICC. One source said Pakistan is likely to end the boycott “in lieu of increased revenues from ICC.”
Fourth, the math tells the story. Revenue from just one India-Pakistan match can generate as much money as Pakistan earns from cricket in about seven years. Pakistan knows the ICC cannot afford to lose this match. They’re using this as a bargaining chip.
Fifth, Pakistan’s own statements contradict the solidarity claim. When the ICC warned them about financial consequences, the PCB responded that “the issue is not about financial consequences.” But if it’s truly about solidarity with Bangladesh, why mention finances at all? The very fact they’re discussing money reveals what this is really about.
The Real Motive
A BCB official inadvertently revealed the truth when he said: “Pakistan wanted to send a strong message to Indian cricket. They wanted to challenge India’s dominance. From that perspective, the decision may make sense.”
This isn’t about helping Bangladesh. It’s about Pakistan’s ongoing conflicts with India and the ICC. Pakistan has long felt that India wields too much power in world cricket and that the revenue distribution favors India unfairly. The “solidarity with Bangladesh” narrative provides political cover for what is essentially a negotiating tactic.
Conclusion
Yes, Pakistan appears to be using blackmail tactics—threatening to cancel cricket’s biggest money-spinner unless they get better terms from the ICC. The “solidarity with Bangladesh” claim is simply a cloak to hide their real motive and make the boycott seem principled rather than mercenary.
The BCB’s quiet response tells us everything we need to know. If Pakistan were truly helping Bangladesh, the BCB would be celebrating loudly. Instead, they’re worried and silent because they know Pakistan’s actions will actually hurt Bangladesh financially.
Real solidarity would involve actions that help the other party. What Pakistan is doing helps Pakistan’s negotiating position while potentially harming everyone else—including the very country they claim to be supporting. That’s not solidarity. That’s self-interest dressed up in noble-sounding language.
The drama Pakistan has created serves one purpose: to extract better financial terms from the ICC while appearing to take the moral high ground. The BCB’s silence is the sound of them recognizing this uncomfortable truth.
References
1.https://www.republicworld.com/cricket/icc-and-pcb-confer-regarding-boycott-threat-as-india-vs-pakistan-t20-world-cup-match-hangs-by-a-thread-report
2.https://thenewsmill.com/2026/02/icc-requests-explanation-from-pcb-for-invoking-force-majeure-in-t20-world-cup-boycott/
3.https://www.espn.in/cricket/story/_/id/47857025/icc-asks-pcb-reason-invoking-force-majeure-boycott-india-game
4.https://theindianeye.com/2026/02/05/pakistans-india-clash-boycott-sparks-rift-with-bangladesh/
