Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Participation Uncertain as ICC Keeps Bangladesh on Standby
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, said on Monday that a final decision on Pakistan’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup has been delayed. Naqvi met Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss the situation, with a decision expected either on Friday or next Monday, he tweeted on X.
An official familiar with the matter told HT that Pakistan is unlikely to skip the entire tournament. The ICC, meanwhile, is reportedly considering keeping Bangladesh on standby to replace Pakistan if the team withdraws.
“If Pakistan decides to withdraw, Bangladesh would be slotted into Group A and play all matches in Sri Lanka, as per the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) original request. This would create minimal logistical challenges,” the official said. The move would be framed as a consequence of Pakistan’s exit, rather than ICC yielding to Bangladesh’s security concerns over playing in India.
Earlier, on January 24, the ICC had replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C after Bangladesh refused to play in India due to security concerns.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister, tweeted after his meeting with the PM: “Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister… Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. The final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.”
PCB Options Under Consideration
The PCB is reportedly weighing several options, including:
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Boycotting the Group A match against India in Colombo on February 15 and forfeiting points. Such a move could affect broadcasters and sponsors, though the reasoning PCB gives would influence ICC’s response. An official noted that “by not playing, they would be violating a deal they themselves helped negotiate with the Indian board.”
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Playing matches while wearing black armbands as a symbolic protest.
The PCB is cautious about withdrawing entirely, given that ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request to move their matches out of India, leaving Pakistan without strong grounds for a full withdrawal.
Reaction from BCCI
Rajiv Shukla, BCCI vice president, responded on Monday: “We wanted Bangladesh to play and assured full security. Since they refused, it was difficult to change the schedule last minute, which is why Scotland was brought in. Pakistan’s interference is unnecessary and misleading. Their actions are wrong, especially given past tensions with Bangladesh.”
