Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Controversy: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly issued a warning to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after their chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, came up with a threat to pull out of the T20 World Cup 2026 following Bangladesh's replacement by Scotland in the tournament, which kicks off on February 7.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played in India, and the ICC confirmed the entry of Scotland in the marquee tournament on Saturday. Bangladesh decided to travel to India for their World Cup matches, forcing the global body to come up with a tough decision. Reacting to Bangladesh's exclusion from the T20 World Cup, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi accused the ICC of "double standards."
Naqvi's comments were regarding the ICC's refusal to relocate Bangladesh's matches from India to Sri Lanka, despite having previously allowed a "hybrid model" for Pakistan's matches. As per a report in the Indian Express, Pakistan could face unprecedented sanctions that would put them under massive isolation in international cricket after Naqvi's inflammatory comment while expressing solidarity with Bangladesh.
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"If Pakistan also decides not to play the T20 World Cup, the ICC will impose a series of sanctions, including no bilateral series with any international team, no NOC for foreign players in PSL, and no Asia Cup participation," the report quoted as saying.
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While Pakistan has not yet pulled out of the T20 World Cup, Naqvi clarified that a final decision will be made by their country's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. In fact, he even urged other cricket boards to back Bangladesh's stance the way Pakistan did. "Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. One country can make any decision whenever it likes, while it is the opposite for another. Bangladesh is a major stakeholder, and this injustice should not happen," Naqvi said on Saturday.
"Bangladesh is a full ICC member, just like Pakistan. If a similar favour has been extended to Pakistan and India, the same should apply to Bangladesh. One country cannot dictate terms to another," Naqvi said.