Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal didn’t filter his words as he said that the Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would not be able to opt out of the T20 World Cup 2026 even if they want to.
Recently, it was reported that PCB has extended full assurance of support to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in the latter’s ongoing feud with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Bangla Tigers are scheduled to play their T20 World Cup group-stage fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai. However, the BCB has refused to travel to India, citing securing concerns. Instead, the board wants its matches to be moved to Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the marquee event.
The tiff had begun earlier this month when, on the BCCI's instruction, KKR released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster.
According to reports in Pakistani media, PCB will review the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup if apprehensions involving the Bangladesh cricket team remain unresolved.
However, Akmal believes Pakistan have no grounds to withdraw from the tournament. “I don't think any cricket board would do this. I don't think one team will also refuse to play just to show solidarity with another team. It makes no sense for us to join another team who are protesting? Can we handle the issue? It's a sensitive issue,” Akmal said on the Game Plan Show.
"There is no official statement given. We should only react if the PCB or the government puts an official version out in the public domain," he added.
During the meeting with ICC representatives in Dhaka over the last weekend, the BCB reportedly proposed the idea of a group swap with Ireland, who are scheduled to play all their preliminary matches in Sri Lanka. The apex body is understood to have rejected the request, stating that India pose no security threats to the Bangladesh team.
The discussion reportedly concluded with the ICC telling the BCB to take a final call on its participation by January 21, or else be replaced in the tournament by another team.
Amid the ongoing saga, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt questioned the PCB for throwing its hat into the ring, asking whether the Naqvi-spearheaded body really thinks its threat is too overwhelming for the ICC.
“You just float things to test the waters and check what reactions are coming through. I don't know what will happen. Pakistan says it is standing with Bangladesh. What options are there, though? If Bangladesh don't play, will you also not play?” said Butt on his YouTube channel.
“Would you allow them the space, or do you think your (Pakistan) threat is so overwhelming that ICC would agree? At the end of the day, it is all about the decision maker and what he thinks,” he added.
However, Butt was of the opinion that the apex body should shift Bangladesh's matches to Sri Lanka, as it had done earlier for other teams such as India and Pakistan.
“The same goes for the organiser of the World Cup. If you allowed this for one team, then how can you say 'play or we will get someone else on board'? Don't know what will happen. We shall see what will happen. There's no official word or denial,” he said.
Butt refused to buy the claim that preparation was stopped for the Pakistan team, as most of the T20 World Cup-bound players are currently turning up for their respective franchises in the Big Bash League and the Bangladesh Premier League.
“We heard that preparations have been stopped, but only 2-4 boys were preparing for the tournament. So what preparation did you actually stop? I don't know whether it is a rumour, self-created, or floated just to check reactions. It can be used to measure temperature,” Butt concluded.
