ISLAMABAD — Pakistan will decide by next Monday whether it will participate in the T20 World Cup, following its disagreement with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to include Scotland in place of Bangladesh.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, describing the discussion as “productive” on World Cup matters. Naqvi said all options remain on the table and that the final decision will be announced either Friday or next Monday.
The ICC placed Scotland in Group C after rejecting Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka due to security concerns. The move has sparked criticism from Pakistan, which cited what it called “double standards” in international cricket governance.
“You can’t say for one country (India), they can do whatever they want, and for the others to have to do the complete opposite,” Naqvi said. He emphasized that Bangladesh had been treated unfairly and deserved to play in the tournament as a “major stakeholder in cricket.”
Pakistan, which also has tense political relations with India, is scheduled to play its World Cup matches in Sri Lanka. The 20-nation T20 World Cup is set to take place from February 7 to March 8.
