Pakistan may make a strategic plan to attack the International Cricket Council (ICC) strongly to show solidarity with Bangladesh. Amid the Bangladesh-ICC standoff ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is meeting with the Pakistan government to counter the council as well as show strength to Bangladesh, according to Pakistani media reports.
Pakistan Cricket Board had stated on previous occasions that they are assessing the situation keeping all possibilities in mind. That means boycotting the T20 World Cup 2026 is also an available option for the country.
Will Pakistan boycott India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match?
A few days ago, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had met Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss this matter. After which Naqvi told the media that he was taking some time to decide his next step.
According to a report in Pakistani media, complete boycott of the T20 World Cup is not the primary objective. But, they may adopt a different path to attack the ICC on behalf of Bangladesh. The news is that Pakistan may opt to abandon the match with India, which is one of the most star-studded points of the tournament.
Since both the teams are in the same group, the India vs Pakistan match is on the World Cup 2026 fixtures. The India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match is scheduled to take place on February 15 in Colombo. Due to the political conflict between these two countries, the match will be held in Sri Lanka, which is a neutral land.
What is Pakistan’s new plan to counter ICC?
It is now believed that the PCB is thinking of boycotting only specific games rather than abandoning the entire tournament, which will not be easy at all, as there are so many parties involved in this high-octane encounter.
It was told in the media report that the board and the government are trying to find a way to avoid serious problems. If PCB boycotts the match against India, it may cause financial loss to ICC. Needless to say, if such a situation arises in real life, the ICC will not hesitate to take action and teach Pakistan a lesson.
What can ICC do?
Under ICC rules, boards can be fined heavily for political interference. However, the PCB believes that it can argue in case of force majeure by citing national security and government orders.
According to a report in Dawn, “A complete boycott of the event is not the top priority; however, Pakistan may miss the group match against India on February 15. The PCB has solid grounds for this to avoid any sanctions or penalties from the ICC.”
The report further claimed, “Pakistan may say that it is following government instructions not to play against India. In such a situation, the ICC cannot impose any cash fine or sanctions on the PCB.”
read more: Despite Mohsin Naqvi’s ridiculous threats, Pakistan has almost confirmed participation in the T20 World Cup.
