Islamabad: Pakistan will decide whether to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 by Friday or Monday, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday.
The statement came after a lengthy meeting between Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, where the issue of Pakistan’s participation in the mega event was discussed in detail.
Mohsin Naqvi said the prime minister directed that the matter be resolved after carefully reviewing all available options. He briefed the premier on Pakistan’s position and ongoing engagement with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to sources, Pakistan has strongly supported Bangladesh’s stance following its exclusion from the tournament and plans to formally lodge a protest with the ICC through an official letter.
During the meeting, Naqvi highlighted what he described as the ICC’s “double standards,” alleging that different rules are applied for India compared to other member nations.
Sources said several options were reviewed, including a complete boycott of the tournament or Pakistan refusing to play its scheduled match against India.
Pakistan is scheduled to face India on February 15 in Colombo. If Pakistan opts out of that match, only two points would be deducted, sources added.
Officials noted that a Pakistan-India clash is the biggest commercial fixture of any ICC event, and its absence could result in significant financial losses for the ICC.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed full confidence in the PCB chairman and emphasized that any final decision would be taken in the best interests of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The meeting concluded with Mohsin Naqvi departing after assuring that a final call would be made within the next few days.
