Pakistan may take a strong step at the 2026 T20 World Cup after Bangladesh were removed from the tournament.
Bangladesh refused to play in India due to security concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board asked the ICC to move their matches out of India. Sri Lanka was seen as the main option as it is also a co host.
The ICC did not accept the request. Talks went on for weeks. Bangladesh did not change its stance. The ICC then replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the main event.
The decision has upset Pakistan. After that, rumours of a Pakistan boycott started to spread. Some Pakistani media reports also claimed Pakistan may not take the field against India in the group stage.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not made a final call. He has left the matter to the government. Naqvi is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday. A final decision may come after the meeting.
Pakistani sports journalist Kadir Khaja posted on X about three possible steps Pakistan could take. He said Pakistan players may wear black armbands to support Bangladesh. He also said Pakistan may boycott the match against India. The third option is to withdraw from the World Cup fully.
Pakistan have not confirmed any step yet. But the issue has added fresh tension before the tournament.
