After the ousting of Bangladesh from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan have threatened to boycott the tournament themselves.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Mohsin Naqvi, said that the government will take a final call over whether the team participates, which as per them, should be made by this Friday or the upcoming Monday.
However, Ajinkya Rahane, for represented India as a top order batsman consistently across formats in the mid to late 2010s, believes Pakistan doesn’t have the guts to go through with the boycott.
What Ajinkya Rahane Said About Pakistan
Speaking on a Cricbuzz show, Ajinkya Rahane said this about Pakistan potentially boycotting the ICC T20 World Cup 2026:
“I don’t think they can do that, I don’t think they have, am I allowed to say guts? Yeah, I don’t think they can do that“
The reason why Pakistan have taken such a stance is Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament. The Bangaldesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to play matches in India, and demanded the venue be shifted to Sri Lanka.
The ICC refused, Bangladesh stood firm on their choice, and were then replaced with Scotland.
Pakistan claim to be taking a stand against this removal by threatening with a boycott of the T20 World Cup, however, this could lead to dire consequences for them.
ICC’s Reported Warning to PAK
Cricbuzz had earlier reported that the ICC warned Pakistan that failing to honour their participation agreement could invite severe disciplinary action.
Potential consequences reportedly include sanctions, suspension from international and regional tournaments, and the withdrawal of No-Objection Certificates for overseas players taking part in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The report also noted that the PCB would have no valid grounds to boycott the T20 World Cup or even the high-profile India vs Pakistan clash scheduled in Sri Lanka on February 15, 2026.
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