ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lankan MP Perera warns of financial losses over Pakistan-India match uncertainty
2026-02-06 - 10:26
Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Sujith Sanjaya Perera has said that Sri Lanka is facing significant financial losses due to uncertainty surrounding the Pakistan-India cricket match as thousands of fans eager to watch the high-profile fixture are being affected. Sujith Sanjaya Perera said India was adopting an unfair approach by imposing unclear and unjustified conditions. He stated that the situation has resulted in heavy financial losses, particularly as cricket fans had planned travel and accommodation arrangements to watch the Pakistan-India match. Recalling the 1996 Cricket World Cup, Perera said Australia and the West Indies had refused to travel to Sri Lanka due to security concerns. He noted that Pakistan, however, toured Sri Lanka and played its matches at that time, demonstrating sportsmanship and solidarity. He further said that during the 1996 World Cup final, Pakistani fans openly supported the Sri Lankan team, which ultimately went on to win the tournament. He described this as a strong example of how cricket can rise above political differences. Perera emphasized that politics should be kept separate from sports, adding that India was allowing political pressure to influence cricketing matters, which he said was damaging the spirit of the game and the interests of host nations. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket has formally requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its decision to boycott the match against India. According to Sri Lankan media reports, Sri Lanka Cricket has written a letter to the PCB stating that Pakistan’s boycott announcement has negatively affected Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. The letter said that due to the uncertainty and boycott decision a large number of cricket fans have cancelled hotel bookings which caused financial losses to the hospitality industry. Sri Lanka Cricket urged the PCB to review its stance in view of the broader economic impact on Sri Lanka. T20 World Cup 2026: ICC expresses concerns over Pakistan’s India match boycott