Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 remains uncertain, even as the tournament is set to begin on February 7 across venues in India and Sri Lanka. The latest uncertainty follows Bangladesh’s exit from the tournament last week and a sharp response from PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who has suggested Pakistan could boycott the event in solidarity.
Pakistan have already announced their squad for the ICC tournament, but it is still not confirmed whether they will take part. Naqvi has criticized the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland, and said the final decision will be made by the Pakistan government. As per the update, Naqvi has already discussed the matter with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and an official confirmation is still pending.
Pakistan consider boycott as government decision awaited
The situation escalated after Bangladesh was “officially ejected” from the T20 World Cup last week, triggering Pakistan’s public stance on standing with Bangladesh. A PCB release said Naqvi briefed Pakistan’s players on the circumstances that led to Bangladesh’s replacement, and told them the board’s next step would be guided by the government’s advice.
“We stand with you on whatever decision you and the government take,” the players told Naqvi, as per the PCB release, backing the possibility of a boycott if advised by Islamabad.
Reports also claim Pakistan are considering a partial boycott option. According to some reports in Pakistan media, Pakistan may choose to boycott only their match against India. As cited, Telecom Asia reported that Pakistan have kept the option to forfeit the India fixture open, depending on the results of their first two matches against the Netherlands and the USA.
BCCI reacts, ICC sanctions talked about in reports
Reacting to Bangladesh’s exclusion, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board had put security arrangements in place for Bangladesh ahead of the tournament. “We wanted Bangladesh to play, and we also assured full security, but since they have made this decision, it is very difficult to change the entire schedule at the last moment,” Shukla told ANI.
Separately, multiple reports claimed the ICC is unhappy with Naqvi’s confrontational stance and may consider punitive action if Pakistan withdraws. The measures mentioned include suspension of bilateral cricket, exclusion from the Asia Cup, and a coordinated “No NOC” policy by member boards that could restrict foreign players from featuring in the PSL.
