Overview:
Najam Sethi also spoke about the BCCI attitude, which he thinks has led to the problem.
Pakistan have refused to play against India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after the government told the decision-makers to boycott the contest. However, former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi feels the marquee clash can take place if Bangladesh are allowed to play the tournament. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has warned Pakistan of serious consequences if the most-awaited game is cancelled.
PCB hasn’t written anything to the ICC about opting out of the match against the Men in Blue. Pakistan are miffed with the ICC after Scotland replaced Bangladesh following the sub-continent nation’s refusal to travel to India for the matches.
The ICC has told Pakistan to change its stance or be ready to be sanctioned. The world body wants the global tournament to proceed smoothly without any controversy.
“It is not late to allow Bangladesh to play in Sri Lanka. A lot of matches are scheduled there,” Najam Sethi told India Today.
According to him, if Bangladesh still says no to competing in Sri Lanka, then stakeholders will have to address other unresolved issues. “I am hoping to see the India vs Pakistan match as it is the gold standard,” he added.
He also revealed that PCB is aware of all the possible outcomes. “They have spoken to lawyers in Pakistan and abroad. They are comfortable with the decision,” he mentioned.
Najam Sethi also spoke about the BCCI attitude, which he thinks has led to the problem.
“The issue is the attitude of the BCCI. They have a habit of bullying other boards. Earlier, Pakistan was isolated but that’s not the case anymore.”
According to him, the current issue could lead to a change. “Pakistan and Bangladesh represents 400 million people and it is time to stand up.”