ANI By

KARACHI: Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of not boycotting the 2016 World Twenty20 in India, saying that non-participation of his country will affect the team in the long run.

The former pace spearhead urged Pakistan to participate in the ICC event at any cost, the Express Tribune reported.

Reflecting on the stalled India-Pakistan bilateral series, the 49-year-old left-hander insisted that his country’ cricket can survive without playing against India.

Akram admitted that the Indian Government had taken a lot of time to decide on the series but added that he still remains hopeful about the series taking place in the near future.

Earlier, PCB chief Shaharyar Khan had said that they had decided to give up on the series after failing to receive a necessary reply from the BCCI and is likely to make the announcement about the same on Monday.

According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the PCB and BCCI, both countries are scheduled to play six series between 2015 and 2023 after a clearance from the Indian Government.

India have not played a full bilateral Test series with Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.