Beyond fines, there could be a host of wider sanctions, including docking of World Test Championship points, no movement in ICC rankings, reluctance of top member nations to tour Pakistan, and even restrictions on player participation in the Pakistan Super League.

Pakistan are scheduled to open their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by matches against the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18, all at the SSC ground in Colombo.

A source close to the PCB said chairman Mohsin Naqvi will address the media soon, with a key question being whether the boycott was a unilateral government decision or taken with the board’s consent.

Notably, neither the PCB nor the government has clarified what would happen if India and Pakistan were to meet in the knockout stages, even as their clashes remain the main source of revenue for broadcasters and the ICC.