A late withdrawal, an even later one-match boycott with potentially far-reaching ramifications and an air of unease, if not apprehension, is exactly the kind of build-up the latest edition of the T20 World Cup could have done without.

Any World Cup is the flagship event of its discipline with the best in the world squaring off for top-dog status. But it is also meant to be a celebration of sporting excellence and of settling matters on the field. Unfortunately, that’s not the case ahead of the 10th edition of a tournament that has grown significantly since a modest beginning in South Africa in 2007.