Pakistan’s Usman Tariq celebrates taking a wicket with teammates throughout their second T20I towards Australia on the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 31, 2026. — PCBDecision comes as ICC removes Bangladesh from event lineup.ICC chief Jay Shah criticised for partial, biased choices: sources.Pakistan will play T20 World Cup 2026 matches at impartial venues.
In an unprecedented transfer, Pakistan on Sunday introduced that it might take part within the T20 World Cup 2026 however would boycott the match towards arch-rival India.
The choice, introduced by the Authorities of Pakistan, follows the Worldwide Cricket Council’s (ICC) elimination of Bangladesh from the event after Dhaka raised safety considerations over enjoying in India.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” the federal government mentioned in a submit on X.
“…however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
A number of components influenced the choice, with the ICC’s perceived biased stance in direction of Bangladesh enjoying a central position, they mentioned, including that the Pakistani crew was instructed to not take the sphere towards India on February 15 as “a form of protest”.
The sources mentioned that ICC chief Jay Shah’s partial choices had successfully turned the Worldwide Cricket Council into an extension of the Indian cricket board.
They additional mentioned that these biased choices have undermined the rules of equity and equality, accusing the ICC of making use of completely different requirements to completely different international locations on its platform.
The event comes after the ICC rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to maneuver their matches to a venue outdoors India.
The BCB had sought the change following the elimination of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the directions of the Indian cricket board, a transfer that sparked widespread outrage in Bangladesh.
Nonetheless, the ICC changed Bangladesh with Scotland within the event on Saturday, stating that it was not possible to revise the schedule so near the February 7 begin of the World Cup.
In the meantime, beneath an present association between Pakistan and India, the Males in Inexperienced will play any ICC fixtures, together with their T20 World Cup matches, at impartial venues.
For the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan’s matches are scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka.
