PAKISTAN will take up to a week to make a final decision on whether the national team will take part in next month’s Twenty20 World Cup, cricket board chief Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday, keeping open the option of a boycott following Bangladesh’s withdrawal.
Naqvi said the decision would now be taken later this week or early next week after consultations with the government.
“The final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” Naqvi posted on X after meeting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
He described the meeting as “productive” and said Sharif “directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table”.
Naqvi had raised doubts over Pakistan’s participation on Saturday, saying the team could pull out after the International Cricket Council replaced Bangladesh in the tournament.
Local media also reported that Pakistan could boycott a February 15 match against arch-rivals India amid political tensions.
Pakistan’s response followed the ICC’s rejection of Bangladesh’s request to move its World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka over security concerns.
On Saturday, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland based on the Twenty20 international rankings.
Pakistan had backed Bangladesh’s position during Wednesday’s ICC Board virtual meeting, saying there was precedent for relocating matches involving India on security grounds during last year’s Champions Trophy.
India, which has not toured Pakistan since 2008, played all of its matches in Dubai during that tournament.
Under an agreement signed last year, Pakistan will not tour India and will play its Twenty20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, with both countries agreeing to use neutral venues when one hosts an ICC event.
Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh deteriorated after the removal of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina following a student-led uprising.
At the same time, ties between Dhaka and New Delhi worsened over Bangladesh’s demand that India hand over the former prime minister.
Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India asked Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman because of political tensions.
Bangladesh then refused to play in India and requested that its matches be shifted to co-host Sri Lanka, a move rejected by the ICC.
(With inputs from agencies)
