It was never going to be easy for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to sideline Pakistan from the T20 World Cup, let alone exclude them from the marquee clash against India. That is precisely why, today on February 15, Pakistan will take on India for the ninth time in T20 World Cup history.

It is a rivalry in which Pakistan has managed only one victory so far. Yet win numbers barely matter when these two teams meet, because this contest has grown far beyond cricket and has become arguably the most anticipated fixture in global sport.

In the build-up to this match, uncertainty loomed large. Until just days before the game, there was no official confirmation that Pakistan would play. This followed a dramatic political intervention when the Government of Pakistan announced that it would not permit the Pakistan team to participate in the World Cup group-stage match against India. Despite the tournament featuring 20 teams, this single lucrative fixture dominated headlines across the cricketing world.

The tension had been sparked when Bangladesh approached the ICC, requesting that their World Cup matches be shifted out of India due to political and security concerns. The ICC rejected this request, citing operational challenges, and eventually removed Bangladesh from the tournament, replacing them with Scotland. This decision sent shockwaves through the cricket community and raised serious questions about fairness and consistency in governance.

The most anticipated match in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Pakistan versus India today, almost didn’t happen. But the issue was always about more than a single match. It was about respect, equity and the balance of power in international cricket

The most anticipated match in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Pakistan versus India today, almost didn’t happen. But the issue was always about more than a single match. It was about respect, equity and the balance of power in international cricket

At that moment, Pakistan emerged as the only major cricketing nation willing to........

© Dawn (Magazines)