Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that it will announce its decision regarding participation in T20 World Cup 2026 on Friday. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday, January 26 and briefed him about the recent developments related to the World Cup.
Scotland was included in the team for the T20 World Cup in place of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had refused to send the team to India citing security threats. However, an independent review found that security risks were minimal across all locations in India, leading the governing body to stand by its decision.
Pakistan reviews World Cup participation after supporting Bangladesh
Pakistan was the only ICC member country to support Bangladesh’s concerns over the World Cup decision and also considered reviewing its participation. There were reports that the Pakistan government may not allow the PCB to send the national team to the tournament.
Notably, the Salman Ali Aga-led side is scheduled to play all its matches in Sri Lanka under a pre-agreed plan with the ICC and BCCI. There have been discussions ranging from a complete boycott to limited protest options, including the possibility of not playing matches against India.
Pakistan has already announced its World Cup squad, but officials have said that team selection does not confirm participation. The final decision may still depend on political decision.
Had a meaningful meeting with the Prime Minister – PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi
After meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, Mohsin Naqvi softened his earlier stance. Naqvi had earlier said every option was open, but his comments after the meeting suggested a shift towards resolving the issue rather than escalating it.
Naqvi said that he has been advised to work towards a solution by keeping all options available. He said the final decision would be taken on Friday or next Monday.
“Had a fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz (Shahbaz) Sharif. Briefed him about the ICC matter and directed that we resolve it keeping all options in mind. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken on Friday or next Monday,” the PCB chief said in a social media post.
Mohsin Naqvi says that the decision on Pakistan’s matches for the T20 World Cup will be taken on Friday or next Monday. The main issue of debate is the India vs Pakistan match. pic.twitter.com/oMPr7wU09I
– Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) 26 January 2026
However, a report in Cricbuzz suggests that Pakistan will neither boycott the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 nor the match against India due to fear of ICC sanctions.
PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi trolled after confusion over Pakistan PM’s name
Mohsin Naqvi faced online trolling after a mistake in a social media post after his meeting with the Prime Minister. In the post, Naqvi said that he had met Nawaz Sharif instead of Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently in office.
Nawaz Sharif last served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan from June 2013 to July 2017, while Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister. The error quickly went viral and attracted widespread attention.
It is expected that Pakistan will follow the T20 World Cup schedule. Earlier reports had suggested the team could boycott the India match on February 15, but Pakistan has little scope to change plans.
Breaching the participation agreement with the International Cricket Council could have serious consequences, including suspension from international and regional tournaments and withdrawal of no objection certificates for foreign players in the Pakistan Super League.
Also read: Mohsin Naqvi’s threat to pull out of T20 World Cup 2026 shook ICC, broadcasters worried about India-Pakistan match
