Karachi: Prominent former cricketers and high-ranking officials urged the Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday to prioritise the national team’s future over regional politics, warning that a boycott of the upcoming T20 World Cup would jeopardise Pakistan’s standing with the sport’s global governing body.

The advisory comes as the PCB remains in a state of flux, having deferred a final decision on whether to compete in the tournament. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has established a deadline of Friday or next Monday to confirm the team’s participation, following a period of tension sparked by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) removal of Bangladesh from the event.

While Pakistan has expressed strong diplomatic solidarity with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), veteran figures within the Pakistani cricket establishment argued that such support should not come at the expense of the national side.

"I can understand Pakistan supporting Bangladesh, but what purpose will PCB achieve by not sending its team apart from spoiling relations with the International Cricket Council and member boards," said former PCB secretary Arif Ali Abbasi. Abbasi, who served during the eras of legendary administrators Jagmohan Dalmiya and I.S. Bindra, insisted the team must travel to ensure the stability of the game.

The sentiment was echoed by former Test captains and board leaders, including Muhammad Hafeez, Khalid Mahmood, and Mohsin Khan, who saw no logical benefit to a withdrawal.

Mahmood noted that while the PCB's loyalty to the BCB was "laudable," it was important to recognise that no other member nation backed Bangladesh’s request to move matches out of India. "I can understand the stance taken by the Bangladesh board, but it is also a fact no one supported them in the ICC meeting," he observed.

Concerns were also raised regarding bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament. "Obviously, Sri Lanka will suffer losses if Pakistan doesn't go as all our matches are in Sri Lanka, including matches with India," Abbasi pointed out.

Former batting stalwarts Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf further cautioned the board to weigh the long-term impact on a new generation of players. Inzamam noted that the" cricket needs to see our team doing well in big events," while former chief selector Haroon Rasheed argued that the PCB had already made its principled stance clear and must now pivot toward "our own cricket interests."

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Pakistan currently slated to play all its group fixtures in Sri Lanka.

With inputs from PTI