Fresh development on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup participation

A final call on Pakistan’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is expected later this week or early next week, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said.

The tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

In a statement shared on social media site X (formerly Twitter), PCB chairman said that he discussed the issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and briefed him on developments related to the ICC.

According to Naqvi, “Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” he wrote.

Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday. pic.twitter.com/6SOvNdLceW

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) January 26, 2026

Earlier, the ICC announced that Scotland had replaced Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, following a protracted dispute between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) over playing matches in India.

The decision brought an end to weeks of uncertainty after the ICC set a 24-hour deadline for Bangladesh to confirm their participation under the original schedule. When the BCB failed to comply, the world governing body moved swiftly to safeguard the integrity of the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

In a statement released by the ICC, the Board made the difficult decision that it was not feasible to meet the BCB’s requests so close to the tournament.

“The decision follows an extensive process undertaken by the ICC to address concerns raised by the BCB regarding the hosting of its scheduled matches in India,” ICC’s statement reads.

A formal invitation was simultaneously sent to Scotland, who now step in as Bangladesh’s replacement at the marquee event.