Pakistan may boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against arch-rivals India amid a growing dispute between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), sources said on Monday.
The high-profile fixture is scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, where Pakistan will play its matches under the agreed hybrid model.
Sources said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is exploring several options to lodge a formal protest. One option is to refuse to play the match against India.
Officials noted that skipping the match would result in a two-point deduction. However, the move could also trigger significant financial losses for the board. Despite this, the PCB plans to keep all options open, even if it continues in the tournament.
ICC Decision on Bangladesh Triggers Tensions
The situation follows the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland after Dhaka declined to tour India over security concerns.
The BCB had asked the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka, a co-host of the tournament, which begins on February 7. The ICC rejected the request. The global body said it found no credible or verifiable security threat to Bangladesh’s national team in India.
🚨PAKISTAN BOYCOTT T20I WORLD CUP 2026🚨
The Pakistan government is determined to boycott the World Cup in support of Bangladesh. They believe that the ICC did not act fairly by excluding Bangladesh.#BangladeshCricket #ISN29 #WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/osfumlHivC
— Ayush (@AyushKu22633294) January 25, 2026The ICC stated that it reviewed Bangladesh’s concerns in detail. It also commissioned independent security assessments from internal and external experts. According to the ICC, it shared comprehensive security and operational plans. These included federal and state arrangements and enhanced protection protocols for the event.
The PCB has openly supported Bangladesh, accusing the ICC of applying double standards. Board officials said Pakistan would follow government directives on participation.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi briefed national players on Sunday. He said Pakistan’s stance reflects cricket’s core principles and warned against political interference.
Read: Bangladesh Rules Out India Travel for T20 World Cup Over Security Concerns
Highly placed sources said the PCB is also considering withdrawing completely from the T20 World Cup 2026. A final decision is expected after a key meeting between Shehbaz Sharif and Chairman Naqvi in Islamabad later on Monday.
Relations between Bangladesh and India have remained tense in recent months. The strain followed political unrest in Bangladesh and the departure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi. The political fallout soon affected cricketing ties between the two neighbours.
IPL Fallout and Broadcast Ban
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League despite signing with a Kolkata franchise.
In response, Bangladesh banned IPL broadcasts at home and renewed demands to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors earlier disputes in the region. For last year’s Champions Trophy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India refused to tour Pakistan. A hybrid model later saved the tournament. Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play ICC events at neutral venues, including Sri Lanka, for the T20 World Cup.
