Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Boycott Threat Live Updates: PAK’s Sri Lanka Trip Likely, Final Call Still Pending

As per a PTI report, Naqvi told Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that his foremost priority was safeguarding the long run of Pakistan cricket while maintaining stable relations with the ICC and its member boards.

“When PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, he made it clear that any option into account must ensure a secure and prosperous future for Pakistan cricket and uphold cordial ties with the ICC and member boards,” a source said.

The trend of SENA teams resting senior cricketers on tours of Pakistan has once more come under the highlight, this time after Australia’s reshuffled lineup went down by 22 runs in the primary T20I.

Pakistan boycotting the India match or the T20 World Cup wouldn’t augur well for them. They beat Australia, although a second-string side, in the primary of three T20Is on Thursday and who knows, Pakistan might put up a greater show than 2024 this time.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha has confirmed that he’ll bat at No. 3 in the course of the upcoming T20 World Cup, locking in a key tactical decision ahead of the worldwide event. Pakistan will likely travel to Colombo on February 2 and no boycott shall be called.

Pakistan should avoid jeopardising its relationship with the world governing body and be sure that support for Bangladesh doesn’t come at the price of its own cricketing interests, multiple former cricketers and board officials have said because the Pakistan Cricket Board continues to delay a final call on participation within the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has dismissed Pakistan’s threat of withdrawing from the upcoming T20 World Cup as ‘utter nonsense’, criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board’s stance after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland within the tournament.

Richard Ilingworth and Kumar Dharmasena shall be the on-field umpires when India tackle arch-rivals Pakistan within the T20 World Cup on Sunday, February 15 in Colombo.

Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja sparked a fresh cross-border stir on social media after taking a pointy swipe at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s celebratory post after Pakistan’s 22-run win against Australia in the primary T20I in Lahore.

Sri Lanka will deploy elite armed units to safeguard teams during next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with heightened security measures focused on games involving arch-rivals India and Pakistan, officials told AFP.

“If the federal government says we won’t play against India, the ICC can have to just accept it. In the event that they don’t, that’s where the true confrontation begins,” former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said, adding that if India and Pakistan meet in the ultimate, Pakistan shouldn’t play.

World Cup winning ex-India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth recently lashed out on the reports of Pakistan considering various options to point out its protest including not playing against India.

“Hey Pakistan, don’t come,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. “Your man Mohsin Naqvi has been talking about it – don’t come. You shall be thrashed. A six hit in Colombo will land in Madras. Beware. The most effective option is to remain away. Find an excuse and don’t come. These boys will thrash them hard.”

Earlier this week, Moshin Naqvi briefed the Pakistani players in regards to the PCB’s policy on the difficulty of Bangladesh being excluded from the T20 World Cup due to their unwillingness to travel to India due to security concerns. Later in a press release the PCB said the players backed the principled stance of the board to support Bangladesh. Naqvi also told the players that the Bangladesh stance of not wanting to play their matches in India was a principled one.

“We firmly reject the double standards of the ICC,” Naqvi was quoted as saying within the PCB statement, adding that the sport needs to be run inside the spirt and principles of the sport.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latis says that if their government decides that the team won’t play against India in the course of the world cup, then ICC can have to just accept it. If ICC refuses, then there shall be a problem. When asked what happens if India and Pakistan find yourself making the ultimate, Latif replied “nahi khelenge (we won’t play)”.

Bangladesh requested with the ICC to have their T20 World Cup matches relocated to Sri Lanka as they feared for the safety of their players. The ICC carried out an independent security assessment and took a vote on the request following which it was turned down. The told BCB there’s no credible threat and an awesome majority of the ICC board members voted in favour of keeping the matches in India (14-2). Besides BCB, Pakistan Cricket Board also voted to have the matches shifted. Despite ICC’s verdict, BCB remained adamant.

Amid their threats, Pakistan Cricket Board recently revealed their 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup that starts from February. The team shall be led by Salman Ali Agha.

Pakistan’s World Cup Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq

Well, it appears that evidently Pakistan Cricket Board isn’t in favour of pulling out from the T20 World Cup. As per news agency PTI, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has told Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif that the board any decision needs to be made keeping in mind the long run of the country’s cricket and to “preserve good relations with the ICC and member boards.”

Hello everyone! Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is anticipated to finalise the team’s participation on the 2026 T20 World Cup soon. The 2009 champions are currently locked in a T20I series with Australia at home and there’s concern amongst fans that the team may find yourself withdrawing from the world cup to lodge its protest against the choice to eject Bangladesh from the tournament. If media reports are to be believed, then it’s unlikely that PCB will boycott the tournament to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.