The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hasn’t confirmed participation for the T20 World Cup 2026. But reports suggest that the Pakistan team will travel to Sri Lanka next week.
Showing solidarity with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the PCB had threatened to pull out of the tournament. That looks unlikely. But what PCB might do is attack the International Cricket Council (ICC) by boycotting the biggest cricket match, India vs Pakistan.
That way, ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will lose money. Yes, Pakistan will forfeit two points, but the objective of showing dissent for the double standards will be achieved.
PCB ready to boycott India
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has had talks with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and will announce the final verdict soon. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif thinks PCB should boycott the India vs Pakistan match, and ICC will have to accept the decision.
“If the government says we won’t play against India, the ICC will have to accept it. If they don’t, that’s where the real confrontation begins,” Latif said on CaughtBehind.
But we’re only talking about a group-stage game here. What if India and Pakistan face off in the T20 World Cup final? Will PCB have the guts to withdraw from the trophy match to make a point? Latif says yes. “Nahi khelenge (we won’t play as a sign of protest),” he stated.
Previously, Latif was of the opinion that Pakistan should boycott the tournament. But he’s changed his stance now. Why? Well, because he thinks that the right time has passed. If PCB wanted to prove a point, they had to take the tough decision during the ICC meeting. Now, it’s too late.
“The time for a strike has passed. Every decision has a timing. When the iron is hot, that’s when you strike. That time was last week during the ICC meeting. We showed our support. We voted for them. That chapter is over. If we boycott now, it won’t have the same impact,” he added.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Feb 4 | 9th Match, Warm-up | Ireland vs Pakistan | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 11:30 AM |
| Sat, Feb 7 | 1st Match, Group A | Pakistan vs Netherlands | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 11:00 AM |
| Tue, Feb 10 | 12th Match, Group A | Pakistan vs USA | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Feb 15 | 27th Match, Group A | India vs Pakistan | Colombo, R. Premadasa Stadium | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Feb 18 | 35th Match, Group A | Pakistan vs Namibia | Colombo, Sinhalese Sports Club | 3:00 PM |
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