Pakistan flexes muscle: T20 World Cup fate to be decided in PM-PCB meeting today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup is poised on a knife’s edge, with a decisive meeting scheduled today between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi that could determine whether the green shirts take the field. Or walk away.

According to sources, the high-level huddle will focus on Pakistan’s stance over the tournament, including the explosive option of refusing to play against arch-rivals India. Any final call on participation will be made on the prime minister’s instructions, with the PCB committed to fully implementing the government’s decision.

The situation has intensified following what officials describe as India’s rigid position and the ICC’s controversial move to exclude Bangladesh from the World T20, a decision that has sparked strong reactions within the PCB. Sources say Pakistan is seriously weighing its options, including a potential withdrawal from the tournament, citing unfair treatment and double standards by the global governing body.

Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that Pakistan’s position is rooted in principle, not politics. Speaking to national team players, he said the PCB supported Bangladesh based on the “golden principles of cricket” and warned that politicising the sport serves no one’s interests. He reiterated that the PCB firmly rejects the ICC’s perceived bias and will stand by what it believes is right.

The PCB chairman also briefed the players on the evolving World Cup situation, earning their full backing for the board’s stance. On the sidelines, Naqvi extended his best wishes to the squad ahead of the Pak–Australia T20 series, even as uncertainty looms large over Pakistan’s World Cup campaign.

With emotions running high and the cricketing world watching closely, all eyes are now on today’s meeting; one that could reshape Pakistan’s T20 World Cup journey and send shockwaves through international cricket.