LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to decide on the national side’s T20 World Cup 2026 participation today, the sources said on Sunday.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the sources added, is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at 6pm today, who will decide on the Green Shirts’ participation in the tournament.
The development comes in the aftermath of the reports of a potential boycott by Pakistan after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move their games to a venue outside India.
The BCB requested the venue change after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the Indian cricket board’s instructions, sparking fury in Bangladesh.
However, the ICC replaced them with Scotland in the showpiece event on Saturday, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the tournament.
Bangladesh’s exclusion triggered reports of Pakistan’s possible withdrawal from the tournament.
PCB chief Naqvi had already held a meeting with the PM on January 26, where the two had discussed the pressing matter.
Meanwhile, sources say that an announcement regarding the T20 World Cup 2026 is expected after the PCB chief-PM meeting today.
The decision to reveal the team’s World Cup jersey, postponed due to “unavoidable reasons”, is also expected after the participation issue is settled.
Furthermore, the PCB has prepared a plan in case of not participating in the T20 World Cup 2026.
A four-team tournament will be held in Lahore, the said sources.
The Pakistan and Shaheens Under-18 teams will be divided into four teams, they added.
Bangladesh-India tensions
Relations between Bangladesh and India have been strained relations in recent times, with political tensions between the two neighbouring countries after Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have since then spilt into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket.
For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbours, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a “hybrid model” was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup, where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
