The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, has expressed frustration with the ICC’s treatment of Bangladesh, declaring that Pakistan’s entry into the 2026 T20 World Cup will depend on the government’s directive. This development follows Bangladesh’s decision to withdraw from the event, which they attributed to security concerns related to Mustafizur Rahman’s release from KKR. As a result, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has urged the ICC to shift the tournament’s venue from India to Sri Lanka for safety reasons.
The ICC maintained its position on the T20 World Cup 2026 schedule, leading to Bangladesh’s withdrawal after consulting with players on January 22. Bangladesh’s request for the matter to be brought before the dispute resolution committee was denied. As a result, on January 24, the ICC confirmed Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the tournament. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his dissatisfaction, emphasising that the ICC should not have double standards and that Bangladesh should be allowed to compete.
“Bangladesh has been treated unjustly, and I expressed this in the ICC board meeting. You can’t apply double standards, allowing one country to make decisions freely while holding another to completely different expectations.”
“That’s why we firmly believe Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and should be allowed to participate in the World Cup. They are a key stakeholder, and this injustice should not be allowed,” Naqvi said.
Could Pakistan boycott the T20 World Cup?
In response to whether Pakistan would join Bangladesh in boycotting the T20 World Cup, Naqvi clarified that the PCB would adhere to the directives of the Pakistani government regarding the issue.
“Our position on World Cup participation will be guided by the instructions of the Pakistani government. The Prime Minister is currently abroad, but once he returns, I’ll be able to provide our final decision. It’s the government’s call, and we follow their lead, not the ICC’s,” Naqvi told, as quoted by Cricinfo.
When asked if Pakistan had an alternative plan in case they were unable to participate in the T20 World Cup, Naqvi stated that they have backup options in mind.
“Once the decision is made, we have plans A, B, C, and D in place,” Naqvi said.
Pakistan adopts a hybrid model for ICC events in India, with their matches hosted in Sri Lanka. Similarly, for the T20 World Cup 2026, all their games are planned for Colombo. Naqvi emphasized that Bangladesh, being a full ICC member like Pakistan and India, should be treated equally. He also stated that no country should have the power to impose conditions on another, which seemed to be a criticism of India.
“Bangladesh is a full member just like Pakistan. Our position is that if this arrangement was made for Pakistan and India, then Bangladesh should be treated the same way,” he said.
“The primary reason is that no country should have the power to dictate to another. If any country tries to impose such control, Pakistan will certainly take its own stand,” he said.