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New Delhi: Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha insists players will follow whatever directive their government or Board gives them over boycott of the India match in T20 World Cup match on February 15 in Colombo.

“We are players contracted to the Board and whatever decision our government and Board have taken all the players are on board with it,” he said before leaving with the team from Lahore to Colombo, where they are scheduled to play all their three group stage matches.

Should they decide to pull out of the match, as has been announced by the Pakistan government on Sunday, then the International Cricket Council is estimated to lose $250 million (over Rs 2200 crore), Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The marquee match is the money-spinner for ICC and in case they don’t meet, which they only do in multi-team tournaments due to tense political relations between the two neighbours, ICC usually clubs them in the same group.

It would impact ICC’s coffers badly at a time when media rights holder JioStar is keen to renegotiate a $3 billion (around Rs 27,296 crore) deal.

Advertisement revenue losses of the host broadcaster could be between Rs 200 crore and Rs 250 crore, 10 second commercial slot of the matches could fetch upto Rs 40 lakh.

‘Big difference’

India could get full points in case of a walkover, with ICC retaining authority to impose additonal sanctions on Pakistan.

“As regards the sanctions or the losses, as I said, the one match is costing $250 million (everything accounted for not just broadcaster’s loss). Pakistan’s annual revenue is $35.5 million, so there is a big, big difference,” former ICC and PCB communications head Sami-ul-Hasan Burney told PTI.

“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 ICC said on Sunday following Pakistan’s declaration.

“ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”

Pakistan are yet to offer an explanation for pull-out but it is generally believed as a step to show solidarity towards Bangladesh who wre kicked out of the tournament for refusing to play in India citing security fears.