'Four days later, take back their retirement': Gavaskar predicts Pakistan U-turn on T20 WC boycott vs India

Pakistan's decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 match against India has fueled strong responses from some of the prominent members of the cricket world. India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar is in the bracket too, and has expressed his thoughts on the bold call taken by the Pakistan government.Gavaskar expresses thoughts on Pakistan's boycottAccording to Gavaskar, Pakistan will be under the pump for the decision they have taken and he won't be surprised if they take a U-turn.“I think in the next four or five days, when reactions start pouring in from across the world and even from their former players, there is a possibility that Pakistan will change their stance,” Gavaskar told Aaj Tak.Highlighting Pakistan players' tendency to take their retirement back, Gavaskar stated that Pakistan can reverse their decision, stating that they followed the sentiment of the public, which wanted to witness an India vs Pakistan game.“What’s new in this? We all know Pakistan cricketers retire and then, four days later, take back their retirement, saying ‘our fans told us to play more’. This might happen again,” Gavaskar said.“What’s the problem with making U-turns in your decisions? There’s no issue, as far as I know.“Pakistan players have set examples. They keep coming back from retirement. So something like that might happen before the 15th.”Gavaskar also said that Pakistan could face sanctions and penalties from the ICC, if it could not justify its decision to boycott the match.“If Pakistan does not have a valid reason to justify withdrawing from the big match against India, or if they cannot show grounds for breaching the contract, then action will be taken by the ICC Board,” he said.ICC's response to Pakistan's decisionThe ICC labelled Pakistan's decision to refrain from playing India, while deciding to compete in the tournament, as "selective participation". According to the governing council, it is against the "fundamanetal premise" of the showpiece event."While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule," the release said.It stated that ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency, and fairness, and that selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions."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 ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of," the release said.It said ICC's priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB."It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders," the release said.