Pakistan's T20 World Cup Boycott Threat: ICC Sanctions and Consequences Explored

• Pakistan's Mohsin Naqvi threatens T20 World Cup boycott, creating uncertainty ahead of the tournament.
• Boycotting the India match on February 15 would result in a loss for Pakistan, giving India full points.
• ICC rulebook lacks specific penalties for refusing to play, making direct sanctions difficult for a match boycott.
• Potential indirect ICC sanctions include reduced revenue share and penalties under Article 2.4 (D) for political weaponization.
• Pakistan risks ridicule and criticism if they boycott India but lose to weaker teams, or if they boycott later stages after playing initial matches.

Why It Matters: Pakistan's boycott threats could lead to indirect ICC sanctions and reputational damage, despite no direct rule violation.