Islamabad, January 26, 2026: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday said that a final decision regarding Pakistan’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will be made either this Friday or next Monday.
Naqvi’s statement came after he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, briefing him on Pakistan’s stance regarding the tournament. Taking to X, the PCB chief said, “He [PM Shehbaz] directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.”
The meeting follows reports of a potential boycott by Pakistan after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to move their World Cup games to a venue outside India.
The BCB requested the change after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sparking outrage in Bangladesh. However, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the showpiece event, stating it was not feasible to alter the schedule so close to the February 7 start date. The ICC added that no “credible or verifiable security threat” to the Bangladesh team in India was identified.
Tensions between Bangladesh and India have spilled over into cricket. Political friction intensified after former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi amid protests. On the cricket front, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL despite signing with Kolkata’s franchise, prompting Bangladesh to ban IPL broadcasts and request World Cup matches be moved to Sri Lanka.
The standoff echoes previous South Asian cricket tensions, including last year’s Champions Trophy, where India refused to tour Pakistan due to political issues. During the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a “hybrid model” was implemented, allowing India to play Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the ICC agreement valid until 2027, Pakistan is expected to play its matches at neutral venues for all ICC events, including the T20 World Cup, with its 2026 fixtures scheduled in Sri Lanka.
The PCB’s upcoming announcement will clarify whether Pakistan will participate in the tournament or consider alternative options in response to the unfolding regional cricket tensions.
