Colombo

Reiterating his cricket board’s position, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha on Thursday said the decision to boycott the men’s T20 World Cup group match against India was taken by the government and was “not in our control”.

Pakistan on Sunday announced it would boycott its high-profile group fixture against India on February 15 in Colombo, though the Pakistani government subsequently cleared the national team’s participation in the rest of the tournament, which begins on February 7.

“The India game is not in our control. It’s the government’s and the PCB’s decision, and we respect that. Whatever they decide, we will follow,” Agha said during the captains’ press conference here.

The T20 World Cup will be held across venues in India and Sri Lanka, starting Saturday.

Asked about the possibility of facing India later in the tournament, Agha said the team would again abide by the government’s decision.

“If we have to play them again in the semifinal or final, we will have to go back to them and act on their advice,” he said.

Pakistan’s decision, conveyed through an official government statement, was described as a political protest linked to Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had declined Bangladesh’s request to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security considerations.

During the interaction, Agha was also reminded of Pakistan’s shock defeat to the USA in the previous edition of the tournament.

“Yes, we lost to the USA in the last World Cup, but that is history now. This is a new World Cup, a new team and a new combination, and we are very excited,” he said.

Calling it his first World Cup as captain, Agha said he was eager to lead from the front.

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“As a captain, I want to give my best, get the best out of the team, and create an environment where players can perform freely and at their best,” he added.