Pakistan is reportedly considering boycotting its group-stage match against arch-rivals India in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo.
According to Geo Super, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reviewing various protest options and keeping all possibilities open, even if the team participates in the tournament.
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The potential boycott comes in response to the ICC’s last-minute decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland, after Bangladesh refused to travel to India.
Skipping the India fixture would cost Pakistan just two points but could cause significant financial losses for the ICC.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is set to meet the national squad, which was recently announced, to discuss team strategy and broader plans.
He confirmed that the final decision on Pakistan’s stance will be made in consultation with the federal government.
READ: ‘PCB to follow government decision on T20 World Cup participation,’ says Mohsin Naqvi
“Prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif] is currently not in the country. We will announce the final decision after he [PM] returns to the country,” Naqvi said.
He criticized the ICC for treating Bangladesh unfairly, calling the situation an example of “double standards.”
“Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. I said the same in the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC). You cannot have double standards, where one country can make whatever decision whenever and do the total opposite for another country,” Naqvi added.
He also pointed to the influence of the BCCI in ICC decisions, warning that Pakistan will assert its stance if any attempt at dictation is made.
“The thing is that Bangladesh is the same member as Pakistan. And our stance is that if you have done this favour with Pakistan and India, then you should do the same with Bangladesh,” he said.
Pakistan will start its T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo, followed by matches against the USA on February 10, India on February 15, and Namibia on February 18.
The Super Eight stage will run from February 21 to March 1 in India and Sri Lanka, with the semi-finals on March 4 and 5, and the final on March 8 in Ahmedabad or Colombo.
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Pakistan Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.
