- PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi meets Prime Minister Shehbaz at 18: sources.
- Premier to decide on participation; shirt to be revealed afterwards.
- PCB to hold 4-team tournament in Lahore if the team does not participate.
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 18 today, which will decide on the Green Shirts’ participation in the tournament.
The development comes in the wake of reports of a potential boycott by Pakistan after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift their games to a venue outside India.
The BCB requested a change of venue after Bangladeshi 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 the showpiece event on Saturday, saying it was not possible 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 had discussed the urgent matter.
Meanwhile, sources say an announcement on T20 World Cup 2026 is expected after the PCB chief-PM meeting today.
The decision to unveil the team’s World Cup jersey, which has been postponed due to “unavoidable reasons”, is also expected after the participation issue is decided.
Also, PCB has prepared a plan in case of not participating in T20 World Cup 2026.
A four-team tournament will be held in Lahore, the sources said.
Pakistan and Shaheen’s U-18 team will be divided into four teams, they added.
Tensions between Bangladesh and India
Relations between Bangladesh and India have been strained in recent times with political tensions between the two neighbors after Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have since spilled over into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was 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 standoff reflects earlier 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 only play each other in ICC events.
As for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a “hybrid model” was agreed upon, after which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to save the tournament.
Under the agreement, which runs until 2027, Pakistan will play at a neutral venue for every ICC event, including the T20 World Cup, where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
