- PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to meet PM Shehbaz at 6 pm: sources.
- The Prime Minister will decide on participation; The jersey will be revealed later.
- PCB will hold a 4 team tournament in Lahore if the team does not participate.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to decide today on the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026, sources said on Sunday.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, sources added, is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at 6 pm today, who will decide on the Green Shirts’ participation in the tournament.
The development comes in the wake of reports of a possible boycott by Pakistan after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move its games to a venue outside India.
The BCB requested the change of venue after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on instructions from the Indian cricket board, sparking fury in Bangladesh.
However, the ICC replaced them with Scotland in Saturday’s main event, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the start of the tournament on February 7.
Bangladesh’s exclusion sparked reports of Pakistan’s possible withdrawal from the tournament.
PCB chief Naqvi had already held a meeting with the prime minister on January 26, where the two discussed the urgent matter.
Meanwhile, sources say an announcement on the 2026 T20 World Cup is expected after the PCB chief minister’s meeting today.
The decision to reveal the World Cup team’s jersey, postponed for “unavoidable reasons”, is also expected once the issue of participation is resolved.
Furthermore, the PCB has prepared a plan in case of not participating in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
A four-team tournament will be held in Lahore, sources said.
Pakistan and Shaheens Under-18 teams will be divided into four teams, they added.
Tensions between Bangladesh and India
Relations between Bangladesh and India have been strained of late, with political tensions between the two neighboring countries after former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have since spilled over into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman has been dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with his Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The clash reflects earlier tensions in South Asian cricket.
For last year’s Champions Trophy, the Cricket Board of India (BCCI) maintained its policy of not touring Pakistan due to strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who only play each other in ICC events.
As for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a “hybrid model” was agreed upon under which India was allowed to play its Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to save the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play at a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup, where it is scheduled to play its matches in Sri Lanka.
