Mohsin Naqvi and Jay Shah [Source: AFP]The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still not giving a final answer to the International Cricket Council (ICC) about whether Pakistan will play India in the T20 World Cup 2026. Meanwhile, a new update has come out through a Cricbuzz report. According to it, the PCB is strongly pushing for Bangladesh to be brought back into the tournament. Notably, Pakistan believe this is necessary to fulfil its obligation of fairness, especially concerning the India match.PCB stands firm on IND vs PAK T20 World Cup match boycottAt the same time, Pakistan have already clearly stated that it will not play against India after Bangladesh were removed from World Cup. Notably, Bangladesh were excluded because they refused to travel to India. Ever since Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland, Pakistan have argued that Bangladesh were treated unfairly. The PCB believes that Bangladesh’s request to play at a neutral venue should have been accepted by the ICC.It is important to understand the background of this issue. Bangladesh were originally placed in Group C along with England, Nepal, West Indies, and Italy. However, after Bangladesh refused to travel to India due to security concerns, the ICC removed them from the tournament. As a result, Scotland was brought in as their replacement in the same group.Because of this decision, Pakistan openly supported Bangladesh and questioned the ICC’s handling of the matter. The PCB believes that sports should not be mixed with political or security-related disputes.Pakistan government backs the PCB decisionMeanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that the country’s decision was taken to show solidarity with Bangladesh. He stated that Pakistan would stand firmly by Bangladesh after it was replaced by Scotland. According to Sharif, Bangladesh’s security concerns should have been respected.He also made it clear that Pakistan does not want politics to interfere with sports. Therefore, he supported the PCB’s stance of boycotting the match against India.Financial risks for Pakistan Cricket BoardIf Pakistan believes that boycotting the match will hurt India or the ICC, it may actually end up harming itself. The PCB, led by Mohsin Naqvi, could face huge financial losses if the match does not take place. Several reports suggest that the ICC is considering strict sanctions if Pakistan refuses to change its decision. According to a PTI report, Pakistan’s share from the ICC’s 2024–27 revenue cycle is around USD 144 million. This includes an annual payout of about USD 38 million. Any penalty or reduction could severely impact Pakistan cricket financially.Will the India vs Pakistan match still happen?However, the situation remains complicated. The Pakistan Goverment have confirmed that the national team will take part in the T20 World Cup but will boycott the high-profile group match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. This decision has raised serious concerns within the ICC.In response, the ICC warned that selective participation goes against the spirit of a global tournament. Since the India-Pakistan match is the biggest money-maker in world cricket, its cancellation could lead to massive financial losses for broadcasters, sponsors, and the ICC itself.As the tournament begins, India will face the USA in Mumbai, while Pakistan will play the Netherlands in Colombo.
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