Pcb Mohsin Naqvi Shahbaz SharifImage Credit source: Facebook
The decision regarding whether the Pakistani team will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 or not has been postponed. The Pakistan Cricket Board, which threatened to boycott the World Cup after Bangladesh was thrown out of the World Cup, has said that it will take a decision on participation in the tournament in the next few days. Pakistani Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the country’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday 26 January and discussed the issue. After this Naqvi announced that the decision regarding playing in the tournament would be taken on Friday (January 30) or Monday (February 2).
What did Naqvi say after meeting Sharif?
on Monday 26th January Naqvi met Pakistani PM Shahbaz Sharif Met and discussed about the World Cup. After about an hour of meeting, Naqvi announced on social media that the Prime Minister has asked him to resolve the matter keeping all options open and the decision can be taken by Monday. Naqvi wrote, “The Prime Minister was briefed on the ICC issue and he directed that the matter should be resolved keeping all options open. It was agreed that the final decision would be taken on Friday (January 30) or Monday (February 2).”
Just before this meeting, a big claim was made in Pakistani media. According to this, the Pakistani team will participate in the World Cup but it can boycott the match against India to be held on February 15. That means the team can play all other matches except this match. It was believed that this issue would be discussed in the meeting with Shahbaz Sharif, after which an official decision would be taken. However, now the Pakistani board has decided to continue its drama for the next few more days.
Threatened to boycott the World Cup
On January 24, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had said that the government of the country will decide on the Pakistani team’s participation in the T20 World Cup and the board will do as it is told. Naqvi’s statement came when ICC had decided to exclude Bangladesh from the tournament and included Scotland in its place. Naqvi had then called it an injustice to Bangladesh and, while pretending to show support for Bangladesh on behalf of the Pakistani board, had threatened to boycott the World Cup.