LAHORE: Amid the prevailing uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board has prepared a plan if the decision is made against participation in the tournament, sources said on Sunday.
The sources added that a four-team tournament will be held in Lahore, with Pakistan and Shaheens Under-18 teams divided into four teams.
The development comes amid the looming possibility of a potential boycott by Pakistan after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move their games to a venue outside India.
The BCB requested the venue change after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the Indian cricket board’s instructions, sparking fury in Bangladesh.
However, the ICC replaced them with Scotland in the showpiece event on Saturday, saying it was not feasible to change the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the tournament.
Bangladesh’s exclusion triggered reports of Pakistan’s possible withdrawal from the tournament.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today, which will likely be followed by an announcement on the Green Shirts’ participation in the 20-team tournament, hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and commencing on February 7.
Meanwhile, under the arrangement between Pakistan and India, the Men in Green will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
