Sports
ICC faces tough spot as support grows for boycott India – SUCH TV
Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided.
Pakistan’s decision has also handed the International Cricket Council (ICC) a delicate dilemma.
The ICC, in its initial response, warned in a statement that the boycott could undermine the credibility of international cricket and carry long-term consequences for the sport.
Should Pakistan stand by its refusal, the ICC has a range of disciplinary options at its disposal, including warnings, imposing fines, stripping hosting rights or, in extreme cases, suspending participation in ICC events.
A full expulsion from the T20 World Cup, however, would be viewed as a last resort.
The ICC typically seeks to avoid such outcomes as they damage the tournament’s commercial value, weaken competition, and disproportionately affect players and supporters rather than administrators.
In most cases, disputes of this nature are addressed through neutral venues, scheduling adjustments or quiet negotiations behind the scenes.
Historically, when teams have declined to tour or play specific opponents, the ICC has leaned on member boards to find a compromise, reserving bans only for clear violations of its regulations or outright refusal to participate in the tournament itself.
Deepens a long freeze
The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours — who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues — and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue.
Enough is enough
For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism.
“Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC.
“It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.”
The ICC said it was still awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”.
“While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement on Sunday.
The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India.
“Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said.
“With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.”
The remarks followed coordinated attacks by Fitna Al Hindustan militants across Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people.
Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography.
Let cricket just be a game
On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing arrogance.
“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi.
“They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.”
Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them.
“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed.
The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.
“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X.
“It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial.”
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WWE star Chelsea Green revealed Monday she underwent a “heart procedure” as she shared photos of herself and husband Matt Cardona from her hospital bed.
Green said doctors caught her SVT. The Mayo Clinic says that SVT, or supraventricular tachycardia, is a “type of irregular heartbeat, also called an arrhythmia. It’s a very fast or erratic heartbeat that affects the heart’s upper chambers.”
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Chelsea Green enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., on July 28, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
The two-time WWE women’s United States champion said she had been dealing with the issue for 10 years.
“After 10 years, doctors finally caught my SVT and I was able to get a heart procedure done! 3 hours later and I’m on the mend,” she wrote on Instagram.
On Tuesday, she added on X: “My latest episode during WrestleMania pushed my resting heart rate to 228 for almost 15 minutes. Yesterday, Dr. Girgis spent 3 hours working on me… and I had to be awake for the last hour of the procedure!! “
Chelsea Green waves during SmackDown at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Nov. 28, 2025. (Michael Owens/WWE)
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She said the procedure was minimally invasive and expected to be back to work soon.
Green has had her share of bad luck over the last few months. She suffered an ankle injury that has kept her sidelined for several months, keeping her off the WrestleMania 42 card.
In February, Green and Ethan Page dropped the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship to Mr. Iguana and Lola Vice.
Chelsea Green looks on during SmackDown at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Fla., on Feb. 20, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE)
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Pro wrestling fans are eagerly awaiting her return to the ring.
Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq has been roped in by Warwickshire Bears for the Vitality T20 Blast, set to commence on May 22, the club announced on Tuesday.
In a statement, the club said that the 30-year-old spinner had offers to play franchise cricket in various leagues across the globe, but it won the competition to acquire his services.
As a result, Tariq will spend most of England’s summer season at the Edgbaston Stadium as his maiden Vitality Blast stint will be followed by The Hundred campaign with the Birmingham Phoenix, who signed him for £140,000 at the players’ draft in March.
Reacting to his allegiance with the Bears, Tariq termed it a great feeling before expressing his eagerness to bring energy to the squad, which he was impatiently looking forward to joining.
“I am very excited to bring more fun and energy to the Bears. I can’t wait to get involved with the squad, and it’s a great feeling to be part of this team. I hope to see as many people as possible at Edgbaston this summer,” Tariq was quoted as saying by the Bears.
Bears’ Performance Director James Thomas labelled Tariq “exactly the type of high-impact player” they were looking to bring in and thus expressed profound delight over securing his services for the upcoming tournament.
“Usman is exactly the type of high-impact player we want to bring into Warwickshire, so we’re delighted to get this deal completed,” Thomas said in a statement.
“His skill set and tactical awareness make him a genuine threat in modern white-ball cricket, but it’s his hunger to compete and continually improve that really stands out.
“What makes this signing particularly exciting is the alignment between Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix. Bringing Usman into the Bears for the Vitality Blast, before transitioning into The Hundred with the Phoenix, reflects the strength of our integrated model across club and franchise.
“It allows us to create continuity for the player, maximise performance impact across both competitions, and build stronger connections with our supporters in Birmingham and Warwickshire. Ultimately, this is about strengthening the team, the franchise, and our presence in the area, and we believe Usman can play a key role in that this summer.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Team of the Tournament, naming Babar Azam skipper after a title-winning campaign.
The Team of the Tournament comprises three players each from Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen, two apiece from Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United, and one player each from Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators.
The selection was made by a five-member panel drawn from the commentary team. The jury also finalised the Emerging Team of the Tournament, recognising the standout young performers of the season.
A total of 44 matches were played from March 26 to May 3 across Lahore and Karachi.
Babar Azam, who lifted his third PSL title as a player and first as captain, finished as the leading run-scorer with 588 runs.
Opening the innings, he also claimed the Hanif Mohammad Cap and equalled the record for most runs in a single PSL season, matching Fakhar Zaman’s tally from 2022.
His campaign featured two centuries in four matches against Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United.
Peshawar Zalmi are further represented by Kusal Mendis and Sufyan Moqim. Mendis scored 550 runs, including four half-centuries and a century, while also contributing eight dismissals behind the stumps.
His century came against Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium on April 9. Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim took 22 wickets at an average of 14.40 and an economy rate of 7.20, earning both Player of the Tournament and Best Bowler honours.
Hyderabad Kingsmen have three representatives in Usman Khan, Hassan Khan and Hunain Shah. Usman finished fourth among the top run-scorers with 389 runs, including a century and three half-centuries.
Hassan contributed 139 runs at a strike rate of 195 alongside six wickets and strong fielding performances. Hunain Shah impressed with 17 wickets in 10 matches, emerging as a key bowler in the latter stages of the competition.
Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi also feature in the XI. Fakhar scored 401 runs to finish third overall, while Shaheen claimed 16 wickets at an economy rate of 7.86.
Multan Sultans’ Shan Masood is included after scoring 367 runs at an average of 45.87 and a strike rate of 158.18. Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan also makes the side after a strong all-round season, scoring 173 runs and taking 17 wickets, earning the Best All-Rounder of the Tournament award.
Teammate Richard Gleeson is selected for his impactful new-ball performances, finishing with 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.13.
Quetta Gladiators’ Hasan Nawaz has been named as the 12th player after scoring 291 runs.
PSL 11 Team of the Tournament
Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) (c), Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars), Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi) (wk), Shan Masood (Multan Sultans), Usman Khan (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Shadab Khan (Islamabad United), Hassan Khan (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars), Hunain Shah (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Sufyan Moqim (Peshawar Zalmi), Richard Gleeson (Islamabad United) and Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators) (12th player).
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