PCB had threatened to withdraw from tournament after Bangladesh’s ouster.
Pakistan men’s cricket team, led by Salman Ali Agha, will fly to Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup 2026 next week. The news comes days after their cricket board threatened to withdraw from the showpiece tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh, who pulled out of the event after ICC rejected their request of shifting matches from India to Sri Lanka.
According to a PTI report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already scheduled its T20 World Cup team to depart for Colombo early on Monday (February 2), ruling out any boycott of the competition or the high-stake fixture against India on February 15.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on January 26 to discuss the government's stand on T20 World Cup participation after Bangladesh’s ouster from the tournament.
Following the meeting, Naqvi confirmed through social media that a final call is expected on either January 30 or February 2.
“The PCB has already made travel arrangements for the World Cup squad to leave early morning on February 2 for Colombo," a source told PTI.
According to the report, while the PCB had voted in favour of taking Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India, it could not take further action without risking its own standing within the ICC.
Pakistan are slated to play all their T20 World Cup fixtures in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model agreement with the BCCI and ICC till 2027.
“Keep in mind, Pakistan’s entire World Cup schedule is in Sri Lanka, including the final if they qualify. So on what grounds can they boycott the tournament or the match against India?" the source asked.
The PCB is expected to confirm its participation on January 30, amidst speculations that the team might withdraw from the tournament or forfeit the game against traditional rivals India.
“When the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, he made it clear that all options under consideration should ensure a stable and prosperous future for Pakistan cricket and maintain good relations with the ICC and member boards," PTI quoted an insider as saying.