ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Pakistan is expected to make a final decision by next week on the cricket team’s participation in next month’s Twenty20 World Cup, keeping open the possibility of a boycott following Bangladesh’s withdrawal.
A decision was expected on Monday, when Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi visited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
However, no decision was announced after the meeting and Naqvi instead released a statement on X, saying that “the final decision will be made next Friday or Monday.”
Naqvi had cast doubt on the team’s participation on Saturday, saying Pakistan could withdraw after the International Cricket Council replaced Bangladesh in the tournament. He then declared that he was waiting for the Prime Minister to return from abroad to make a decision.
PCB chief says decision could be made Friday or next week
According to the media team of the Prime Minister’s Office, Naqvi visited the Prime Minister on Monday and briefed him about the “International Cricket Council matter”.
A source in the Prime Minister’s office said Dawn that even the Prime Minister’s media team was not informed of the decision.
A document released by the Prime Minister’s Office said: “During the meeting, he (the Home Minister) briefed the Prime Minister about the recent developments between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board regarding the T20 World Cup. »
The CPC chief, meanwhile, said he had a “productive” meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz.
“(I) informed him of the ICC issue, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision would be made next Friday or Monday,” the message read.
Informed sources said Dawn that Naqvi briefed the Prime Minister “on the positive and negative impacts of the options that can be adopted to show solidarity with Bangladesh”.
“A complete boycott of the event is not the top priority, however, Pakistan may withdraw from the group match against India which will take place on February 15,” sources added. “For this, the CCP has solid foundations, which could avoid any sanction or penalty from the ICC.”
Sources highlighted frosty relations between India and Pakistan, with the two countries on the brink of war in May last year.
“Pakistan can say that it is following the government’s instructions by not playing against India. In this case, the ICC cannot impose any fine or sanction on PCB.”
ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland on Saturday, following their refusal to travel to India over security concerns, following strained political relations between the Asian neighbors.
The ruling ICC has rejected Bangladesh’s request to move its matches to tournament co-host Sri Lanka, saying it was not possible to change the schedule so close to the start of the tournament on February 7.
The BCB accepted the decision and said it would not participate in further arbitration on this issue.
“We have accepted the decision of the ICC board,” a BCB media official said in a statement. “Since the ICC has said we can’t go and play or they can’t move our matches to Sri Lanka, in that case we can’t go and play in India. Our position remains the same. We are not going to resort to separate arbitration or anything here.”
Pakistan had supported Bangladesh’s stance during the virtual ICC board meeting on Wednesday, saying there was a precedent for India’s matches being moved due to Pakistan’s security fears during last year’s Champions Trophy.
Then, India, who have not toured Pakistan since 2008, played all their matches in Dubai.
The same option has been offered to Pakistan, which will not travel to India and play its World Cup matches in Sri Lanka under an agreement signed last year under which the two countries will play at neutral venues whenever one of them hosts an ICC event.
Published in Dawn, January 27, 2026
