Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that Pakistan’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be decided by the Government of Pakistan, stressing that the board will fully comply with whatever directive it receives.
Speaking to the media in Lahore, Naqvi said, “Regarding participation in the T20 World Cup, we will follow whatever decision the Government of Pakistan makes. If we are told not to go, then we will not go.”
He criticised the ICC over its handling of the situation involving Bangladesh, saying, “Bangladesh has been treated unfairly; this is a double standard by the ICC.”
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Naqvi further explained that there should be consistency in the ICC’s decisions.
He further said that the same policy should apply to all countries.
“There should be no double standards. The ICC cannot make one decision for one country and a completely different decision for another. What was decided in the Pakistan-India matter should be applied to Bangladesh as well,” he said.
The PCB chairman also clarified that the board operates under the Government of Pakistan, not the ICC.
He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently out of the country and that a final decision will be made after consultations with him upon his return.
READ: ICC replaces Bangladesh with Scotland at T20 World Cup 2026
Naqvi’s comments come after the ICC officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the T20 World Cup 2026, following Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India due to security concerns.
The decision has sparked debate across the cricketing world, particularly regarding how different teams are treated under similar circumstances.
With Scotland now confirmed as Bangladesh’s replacement, attention has shifted to Pakistan’s stance on the tournament.
Naqvi reiterated that national interest remain the top priorities.
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The cricketing community now awaits the Pakistani government’s final decision, with the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin next month.
