The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee might have announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, but the confusion still hangs over whether the team will actually take part in the global event, starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
PCB squad announced, but Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 participation is still unclear
The PCB has made it clear that the squad announcement does not automatically mean Pakistan will play at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan is the sole nation that still stands with Bangladesh, and now they are planning to follow the same route at the expense of missing the global event.
The ICC has found itself in this new drama after it removed Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup and brought in Scotland as their replacement. The global body made this call after Bangladesh refused to travel to India, citing safety concerns, despite the security assurance and no threat.
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Soon after Scotland named Bangladesh’s replacement, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvim, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, hinted that Pakistan could also stay away from the tournament as a show of support for Bangladesh. He made it clear that the Pakistan government will take the final call.
Well, despite those strong words, the PCB has named the squad just before the deadline. The announcement was made at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium in a press conference attended by senior officials from Pakistan’s selection panel, the high-performance unit, and the white-ball coaching staff.
The message from the PCB was clear that selecting a team is their responsibility, but playing in the T20 World Cup 2026 is not fully in their hands. Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed stressed that Pakistan’s participation is still not confirmed, as the government will review the situation and decide whether the team should travel for the showpiece event.
Government to take final call: Aaqib Javed
Aaqib Javed said at the press conference, “We are selectors, and our job is to pick the team. We’ve announced the team very close to the deadline. The government will decide on our participation, so I can say nothing on that front. That’s what the chairman has said, too, so we’ll wait for their decision.”
All of Pakistan’s group-stage matches in the tournament are scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka. This is part of an earlier agreement between the PCB, BCCI, and ICC, under which India and Pakistan matches are to be held at neutral venues until 2027.
Notably, Pakistan is slotted in Group A alongside India, the Netherlands, Namibia, and the USA. They will face the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener on February 7 in Colombo.
