PCB Backs Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 Controversy

New Delhi:

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to take a final call today on Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to get underway on February 7. A day before the development, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) jumped into the controversy, writing to the ICC, supporting the stance of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) not to allow their national team travel to India for the mega event, citing security concerns.

The timing of the email from the PCB will definitely raise a lot of eyebrows, as they have also copied the members of the ICC Board in it, according to a report in ESPNCricinfo. It is also understood that the ICC has called a Board meeting on Wednesday to address the matter that has been pending for weeks.

Meanwhile, PCB writing to ICC supporting Bangladesh’s stance is unlikely to deter ICC, who are firm on not changing the World Cup schedule and allowing to Bangladesh to play their matches in Sri Lanka. ICC has repeatedly conveyed the same to the BCB during earlier interactions.

The two parties have met each other several times to discuss the issue, with the most recent meeting happening over the weekend in Dhaka. But neither ICC nor Bangladesh has shifted their stances.

January 21 is the deadline set by ICC to finalise a decision

ICC has set January 21 – Wednesday – as the deadline for a final decision in the matter so that the new team gets at least 15 days to prepare for the T20 World Cup in case Bangladesh pulls out of the tournament.

Interestingly, the PCB’s late involvement in the matter comes on the back of speculations that the PCB had offered to stage Bangladesh’s World Cup games in Pakistan. Moreover, it was also reported that the PCB reviewing Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup depending on what happens with Bangladesh. However, none of the reports or speculations were confirmed by a PCB official or its source.

Bangladesh captain Litton Das also confirmed on Tuesday that players are in the dark on the matter and also refused to comment when asked about the team’s participation in the World Cup. “Are you sure that we are going to the World Cup? In reality, there is still a long time left before the World Cup, and we are not even sure whether we will go or not.

“If we had known who our group opponents were [in the World Cup] or which country we were going to, that would have helped,” Das said while speaking to the media.

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