Hours after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) indicated it is reconsidering its participation in the tournament scheduled to begin on February 7.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the board would take guidance from the Government of Pakistan before making any final decision, stressing that the matter goes beyond cricket. Speaking to the media in Lahore, Naqvi revealed that multiple contingency plans are in place as the situation continues to evolve.
“I will follow the instructions of the Government of Pakistan. The Prime Minister is not in the country at the moment, so once he returns, a final decision will be taken,” Naqvi said. “We are more under the Government of Pakistan than the ICC, and we will act according to what the government decides.”
Naqvi added that Pakistan is prepared for all outcomes, even if it means withdrawing from the tournament altogether. “If the government says we should not play, then the ICC can bring in another team. This decision rests entirely with the Government of Pakistan,” he stated.
The PCB chief also reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which had demanded that its T20 World Cup matches be moved out of India before eventually withdrawing from the competition. Naqvi criticised the ICC’s handling of the situation, calling it unfair and inconsistent.
“I believe there has been injustice towards Bangladesh, and I said this clearly at the ICC board meeting on January 21,” Naqvi said. “You cannot have double standards—one rule for one country and a completely different approach for another. That is why we have taken this stand.”
Emphasising Bangladesh’s importance in global cricket, Naqvi added that the BCB is a major stakeholder and deserved better treatment. “Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. I have maintained this position in meetings, and there are several factors behind their stance, which I will explain when the situation demands it,” he said.
With just weeks to go before the tournament, Pakistan’s stance has added further uncertainty to a World Cup already shaken by geopolitical tensions and last-minute changes.
