Pakistan 'may boycott T20 World Cup 2026' if Bangladesh decides against participation

• Most senior Bangladeshi players favour participating in WC.
• ICC rejects Dhaka's request to shift matches from India.
• BCB can either withdraw demand, or replaced by another team.

LAHORE: Pakistan is likely to boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 if Bangladesh decides against participation in the event over the issue of its stance of not travelling to India due to security concerns, sources told Geo News on Thursday.

The sources, on Thursday, said that Pakistan may boycott the event if the International Cricket Council (ICC) refuses to accept Dhaka's demand to shift their matches from India in the next month's event.

Bangladesh have refused to play their matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbours, and demanded to play them in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, instead.

Political relations have soured between Dhaka and New Delhi in recent times, and cricket has been affected too. Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) despite signing with its Kolkata franchise.

Dhaka then responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), after the ICC rejected its request, has reiterated its position against touring India.

Meanwhile, with their demands to play their matches in Sri Lanka shot down by the game's global governing body, Bangladesh find themselves left with the difficult options of either withdrawing their demand or getting replaced by another team in the global showpiece that begins on February 7.

BCB President Aminul Islam had earlier said that he sought more time from the cricket-governing body to talk to his government over the matter.

The Bangladeshi government, as per sources, will take the players into confidence today over the said matter, after which a decision is expected on the said issue.

Most senior players, they added, are in favour of participating in the T20 World Cup.

The ICC stated that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events.

As per the schedule, Bangladesh are drawn in Group C and scheduled to play their first three group matches in Kolkata — against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 — before concluding their group stage against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.

— Additional input from Reuters