The International Cricket Council (ICC) has invited representatives from five major Asian cricket boards for talks aimed at easing tensions on the sidelines of the high-stakes Pakistan vs India T20 World Cup match.
According to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam, the heads of the cricket boards of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan have been asked to attend the match together and engage in dialogue.
“The ICC has taken a decision in this regard. The five major Asian stakeholders play a central role in world cricket. During the India–Pakistan World Cup match on the 15th, the ICC wants representatives from these five Asian nations to attend together, watch the match and engage in dialogue,” Islam said in an interview.
When asked whether the move could be seen as an attempt to ease tensions, he responded, “You may interpret it that way.”
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has received more than 120,000 ticket applications for the fixture. However, the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has a seating capacity of only 35,000 spectators.
All tickets for the Pakistan vs. India match have already been sold out. There are concerns that tickets may be resold on the black market due to the overwhelming demand.
Earlier, several tickets were canceled after Pakistan considered boycotting the match against India. Those canceled tickets were later purchased by Sri Lankan fans.
Pakistan and India are set to face each other on February 15 in Colombo.
