The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to make a final decision on the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026, according to Geo News.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at 6pm today, where the team’s participation is expected to be decided.
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This comes amid reports that Pakistan might boycott the tournament after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to move their matches out of India.
The BCB had made the request following the removal of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on instructions from the BCCI, which sparked widespread outrage in Bangladesh.
On Saturday, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament, citing the difficulty of changing the schedule just days before the World Cup, which starts on February 7.
Bangladesh’s removal has led to speculation that Pakistan might also withdraw.
READ: Final decision on World Cup participation expected on Friday or Monday: Mohsin Naqvi
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously met the Prime Minister on January 26 to discuss the matter.
Reports noted that an official announcement on Pakistan’s participation is expected after today’s meeting.
The launch of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 jersey, previously postponed due to “unavoidable reasons,” is also likely to follow the participation decision.
In the meantime, the PCB has prepared a contingency plan in case Pakistan skips the tournament.
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Reports further confirmed that a four-team domestic tournament will be held in Lahore, featuring Pakistan’s senior team and the Shaheens Under-18 squad, divided into four teams.
