Despite all the talk of supporting Bangladesh and their stance on boycotting the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, there have been reports that Pakistan have already been advised not to follow suit. They are believed to have already booked their flights to Colombo, suggesting that they will not be taking the same route as Bangladesh before the tournament.
According to a Telecom Asia Sport report, the Salman Ali Agha-led team is set to fly alongside the Australian team to Colombo.
Earlier, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi suggested that they would consider boycott of the tournament in support of Bangladesh after replacing them in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh’s request to change the venue away from India to Colombo was rejected on security grounds after it was voted 14-2 at a recent meeting involving the International Cricket Council (ICC) and all member states.
Naqvi mentioned that they will consult with the Pakistani government and then decide together. Although the official call was not revealed, reports suggest that Naqvi met Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, where the Prime Minister supported the PCB’s stance of supporting Bangladesh but did not want them to boycott the tournament due to financial implications.
Besides, Naqvi is also said to have taken advice from President Asif Zardari along with the military and former PCB chairmen Najam Sethi and Ramiz Raj, all of whom wanted to send Pakistan to the tournament. They were also advised to boycott the group stage match against India.
Naqvi shared a post on social media regarding his meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister, which is said to be decided on Friday, January 30 or Monday, February 2.
Pakistan take on Australia in a three-match T20I series starting on Thursday and the team management has been told to ensure they remain fit for the tournament.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
January 29, 2026
Tune in
