Pakistan halt T20 World Cup preparations amid Bangladesh's demand: Report
What's the story
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has halted its preparations for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The decision comes as a response to Bangladesh's request to shift its matches out of India, where the tournament is scheduled to take place in February 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. According to Geo News, PCB has supported this demand and even threatened to withdraw from the tournament if it isn't met.
Support expressed
PCB chairman Naqvi supports Bangladesh's stance
The decision to halt preparations was taken after a meeting between officials from Dhaka and Islamabad on Saturday. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan's interior minister and a Senator, was part of these discussions. He assured full support for Bangladesh's position due to security concerns. The PCB has even said it will reconsider its participation in the tournament if their concerns aren't addressed.
Controversial decision
Mustafizur Rahman's IPL 2026 withdrawal sparks controversy
The controversy began when Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from the 2026 Indian Premier League on BCCI's instructions, citing unspecified "developments all around." This led to unsuccessful negotiations between the ICC and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The BCB has now said that it won't travel to India for its group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai due to security concerns.
Venue concerns
ICC's reluctance to move Bangladesh's matches
Despite the tournament schedule being finalized, the ICC is reluctant to move Bangladesh's matches to Sri Lanka, one of the co-hosts. If Bangladesh doesn't participate in the tournament, Scotland will likely be named as a replacement team based on current rankings. The BCB has insisted on either a venue change or group change so that its matches can be played in Sri Lanka.
Group swap
BCB's proposal to swap groups with Ireland
In its last meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka, the BCB proposed swapping places with Ireland in Group B. This would allow Bangladesh to play all its league matches in Sri Lanka. However, the ICC has reportedly assured Ireland that no such move will occur. Despite claiming travel to India is unsafe for its players, the ICC's risk assessment report hasn't identified any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team's participation in the tournament.