'Players are on board with ... ': Pakistan captain Salman Agha's first comments before leaving for Sri Lanka

NEW DELHI: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha on Monday confirmed that the players will abide by whatever directives are issued by the government and the cricket board regarding the boycott of the high-profile T20 World Cup clash against India on February 15 in Colombo. Speaking to the media before departing from Lahore with the squad for Sri Lanka, Salman said the team manager informed the players of the decision on Sunday, shortly after their match against Australia.

“We are players contracted to the Board and whatever decision our government and Board have taken all the players are on board with it,” he said.



Salman added that the T20 World Cup campaign was about more than just the India fixture, stressing that the team’s focus was on delivering strong performances throughout the tournament.

“We have three other group matches so we will try to win all of them and qualify for next round,” he said.

Several former Pakistan captains, including Shahid Afridi, Muhammad Yousuf and Rashid Latif, along with ex-players Moin Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohsin Khan, have publicly backed the decision to skip the India match.

“What the ICC did to Bangladesh or the way they have bowed before the Indian cricket board in recent years, it was time someone took a stand,” Latif said.

Afridi admitted disappointment over not playing India, reiterating his belief in keeping politics separate from sport, but said he understood the reasoning behind the move.

“The ICC now has to decide which path it wants to take in the larger interests of world cricket,” Moin said.

Sarfaraz also expressed that he could understand why the Pakistan Cricket Board did not receive clearance to play against India.

Amid the ongoing developments, the Pakistan squad departed for Colombo to take part in their remaining matches in the tournament, which begins on February 7. The team is expected to arrive in the Sri Lankan capital later on Monday.

A senior PCB source said the board would continue to follow government instructions if another meeting with India arises in the knockout stages.

Pakistan are set to open their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by group games versus the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18, provided the boycott of the India fixture remains in place.

Pakistan’s unexpected decision to skip the February 15 match is being viewed as a gesture of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after declining to travel to India over security concerns.



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