With the tensions boiling over and Bangladesh being removed from the T20 World Cup 2026, severe sanctions could follow the Pakistan cricket team if they choose to go the same route as Bangladesh and do not participate in the tournament.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off on February 7. The marquee tournament is slated to be held in India and Sri Lanka, and even before the beginning of the tournament, it has been marred with controversy. After Bangladesh was removed from the tournament after they refused to travel to India, Pakistan finds itself in a similar situation as well.ย
The PCBโs (Pakistan Cricket Board) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, openly supported Bangladesh in their decision to not travel to India for the World Cup. Reports have emerged that state that if Pakistan decides to go the same way as Bangladesh, the ICC could respond firmly against the board.ย
Sources stated that severe sanctions could be put upon the PCB by the ICC that could heavily damage their standing in international cricket. With the tournament right around the corner, it is yet to be seen how the situation unfolds.ย
What sanctions can the ICC impose on Pakistan Cricket?
With the reports coming in, there are many things that the ICC can impose upon Pakistan Cricket that could have severe repercussions for them. The ICC could disallow foreign players to participate in the PSL, heavily damaging the credibility of the league.ย
They could also exclude the side from the Asia Cup, they could suspend every bilateral series that Pakistan is a part of, and they could reduce the funding for the PSL, which could go on to cause heavy financial losses to the board. They could also withdraw the international recognition of the league, further damaging its reputation.ย
Mohsin Naqvi recently stated that the PCB will not be taking any call on Pakistanโs participation in the World Cup, and everything will be decided by the government.ย
โOur stance will be what the government of Pakistan instructs me. When the Prime Minister returns, Iโll be able to give you our final decision. Itโs the governmentโs decision. We obey them, not the ICC,โ Naqvi was quoted as saying by India Today.ย
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