While Pakistan have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, their participation in the showpiece tournament continues to remain uncertain as of now.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently stated that Pakistan government would take a final call on national team’s participation in the competition in the aftermath of Bangladesh's exit.
The ICC on Saturday (January 24) announced the decision to remove Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup after the BCB refused to travel to India.
Earlier this month, the BCB requested the ICC to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns in India. The apprehensions came following heightened tensions between the two countries and the release of Mustafizur Rahman by IPL franchise KKR on BCCI’s instructions.
However, the apex body turned down the request, saying no such verifiable threat existed while also citing the logistical difficulty of altering the tournament schedule so close to the event. Bangladesh maintained their stance and were later replaced by Scotland in the 20-team tournament.
While PCB is waiting for a final decision from the Pakistan government, a fresh media report suggests the board is now exploring the possibility of forfeiting the scheduled Group A fixture against India on February 15 instead of boycotting the entire event.
According to the report, the Naqvi-led body is weighing the political, legal and financial ramifications of such a move.
“Naqvi is on a visit to the United Arab Emirates with President Zardari, and during this visit he has consulted with him,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport. “Naqvi will also seek advice from a few former PCB chairmen in the coming days.”
The report added that the PCB is assessing all possible scenarios before coming to a conclusion that could have far-reaching repercussions.
Sources further indicated that the possibility of forfeiting the India match has been widely discussed internally. However, if Pakistan feature in the tournament, a decision on boycotting the India fixture will only be taken after the team’s first two matches—against the Netherlands on February 7 and the USA on February 10.
“As far as the India game is concerned, Pakistan will wait to see how the team fares in the first two matches. If Pakistan win both games, the chances of forfeiting the match against India will be strong,” a source said.
However, forfeiting the high-stake encounter could have serious consequences, including legal action from the host broadcasters.
“Naqvi has been informed by PCB legal advisers that there is a $3 billion broadcast deal in place with JioStar Sports (India), running until the end of 2027, with revenues distributed among all ICC member boards,” the source added.
“If Pakistan boycotts or does not play the India match, which is a major revenue generator, the broadcaster could move court seeking compensation from the ICC. The ICC would then issue a notice to the PCB, and ultimately all member boards would suffer through reduced annual funding.”
