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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan national cricket team landed in Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the team will not play its scheduled match against India.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistan team has arrived in Sri Lanka and will take full rest today and tomorrow,&rdquo; the PCB media office stated on its official X account.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2018256319354990726&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=df19381b920f28cb1fb80ae4f682ac2c90283aff&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 722px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> <div class="fr-embed">According to PCB, the Pakistan Cricket team will participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 but will not <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-to-play-t20-world-cup-2026-skip-india-match" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">play</a> its match against India on Feb. 15.</div>&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to discuss the national team&rsquo;s participation in the tournament.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026; however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled for February 15, 2026, against India,&rdquo; the statement read.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2017968101279883290&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=df19381b920f28cb1fb80ae4f682ac2c90283aff&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The announcement comes amid questions over Pakistan&rsquo;s participation following the ICC&rsquo;s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland, after Bangladesh refused to tour India due to security concerns. Bangladesh had <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/t20-world-cup-indialinked-pressure-shadows-icc-media-ban-on-bangladeshi-journalists" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">requested</a> that their matches be relocated to co-host Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected the request.&nbsp;ICC responds to Pakistan&rsquo;s decisionThe International Cricket Council noted Pakistan&rsquo;s decision to &ldquo;selectively participate&rdquo; while waiting for official confirmation.&nbsp;&ldquo;The position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule,&rdquo; the ICC said.&nbsp;The governing body called on the PCB to consider the &ldquo;significant and long-term implications&rdquo; for the global cricket ecosystem and explore a mutually acceptable resolution to protect the interests of all stakeholders.&nbsp;TournamentThe ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on Feb. 6, with Pakistan originally set to open its campaign against the Netherlands. Pakistan is in Group A, which features India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States.&nbsp;The team&rsquo;s preparations in Sri Lanka will include training and a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb. 4.&nbsp;ScheduleAccording to the ICC, the Pakistan team&#39;s schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026 is as follows:&nbsp;Feb. 6: vs NetherlandsFeb.&nbsp;10: vs United StatesFeb.&nbsp;15: vs IndiaFeb.&nbsp;18: vs Namibia&nbsp;Pakistan Squad for ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named the 15-member squad for the tournament:&nbsp;Salman Ali Agha (Captain)Babar AzamFakhar ZamanAbrar AhmedFaheem AshrafKhawaja Muhammad NafiMuhammad NawazMuhammad Salman MirzaNaseem ShahSahibzada FarhanSaim AyubShadab KhanShaheen Shah AfridiUsman KhanUsman Tariq

Cricket

Pakistan’s 15-member cricket team has departed for Sri Lanka for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and will skip their Feb. 15 match against India. They will play a warm-up match against Ireland.

Pakistan land in Sri Lanka for T20 World Cup, will not play against India

ISLAMABAD: The Icelandic Cricket Association has announced that it will not be able to step in if Pakistan withdraws from the upcoming ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup in India, citing the &ldquo;impossible&rdquo; timeline for professional preparation. The decision highlights the growing operational and governance pressures on the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the body&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/t20-world-cup-indialinked-pressure-shadows-icc-media-ban-on-bangladeshi-journalists" style="color:#0073e6;">replaced</a>&nbsp;Bangladesh with Scotland&nbsp;after the former&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-australia-great-gillespie-faces-backlash-over-bangladesh-t20-world-cup-exclusion" target="_blank">refused</a>&nbsp;to tour India due to&nbsp;security concerns. Bangladesh had requested that their matches be relocated to co-host Sri Lanka, a request the ICC rejected. &ldquo;We are not like Scotland, able to turn up on a whim with no kit sponsor,&rdquo; the cricket board said in a statement posted on X. &ldquo;It is impossible for our squad to prepare in the professional manner necessary.&rdquo; The board, speaking with gentle tongue-in-cheek humor, pointed out that its players come &ldquo;from all walks of life&rdquo; and cannot simply drop their jobs to compete. &ldquo;Our captain, a professional baker, needs to attend his oven; our ship captain needs to steer his vessel; and our bankers need to go bankrupt (again),&rdquo; the statement read. Acknowledging the amateur reality of cricket in Iceland, the cricket board added that the development could be &ldquo;Uganda&#39;s gain,&rdquo; referring to the African nation&rsquo;s bold kit. &ldquo;Their kits cannot be missed unless you have epilepsy, in which case they are probably best avoided,&rdquo; the board quipped. Cricket Uganda responded with readiness and good humor, confirming that its squad is &ldquo;packed and padded&rdquo; should a World Cup spot open. &ldquo;Passports warm (not ice). No bakers leaving ovens or ships U-turning,&rdquo; the Ugandan board said, emphasizing that it will bring the &ldquo;bold kit&rdquo; if called upon. Meanwhile, earlier this week, Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-t20-world-cup-participation-decision-expected-soon-naqvi-briefs-pm-sharif" style="color:#0073e6;">briefed</a>&nbsp;by Pakistan Cricket Board Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi on whether the country would participate in the event. Naqvi told the premier that a decision would be announced either today (Friday) or next week, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan&rsquo;s World Cup plans. Cricket fans on social media and analysts had a field day, dissecting official board statements while gently roasting the ICC&rsquo;s rigid scheduling. Many questioned whether the ICC realistically expects smaller boards to perform miracles on impossibly short notice.

In a cheeky social media banter, Iceland grills the ICC over last-minute World Cup demands, while Uganda stays ready, and fans mock rigid, unrealistic scheduling expectations.

Amateur Iceland refuses ICC’s unrealistic last-minute World Cup call

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected accreditation applications from Bangladeshi journalists seeking to cover the upcoming ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7, triggering criticism and raising concerns over India&rsquo;s growing influence on global cricket administration.&nbsp;Bangladeshi media bodies and journalists say the decision is unprecedented and discriminatory, particularly given Bangladesh&rsquo;s long-standing participation in ICC events and decades of uninterrupted media coverage.&nbsp;Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Media Committee Chairman Amzad Hossain confirmed that between 130 and 150 Bangladeshi journalists had applied for accreditation, all of whom were rejected.&nbsp;&ldquo;This has never happened before,&rdquo; Hossain said. &ldquo;Bangladeshi journalists have consistently covered ICC tournaments, regardless of whether the national team was playing or not.&rdquo;&nbsp;Senior Bangladeshi sports journalist Mir Farid, who has previously held ICC accreditation, said he received an official email informing him that his application had been rejected.&nbsp;&ldquo;I have covered ICC events for years,&rdquo; Farid said. &ldquo;This sudden rejection, without explanation, is alarming and difficult to justify.&rdquo;&nbsp;Veteran journalist Arifur Rahman Babu, one of four Bangladeshi reporters who covered the 1996 ICC World Cup co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, said the move defies established ICC norms.&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t find any valid reason why all Bangladeshi journalists were rejected,&rdquo; Babu said. &ldquo;Even if a team is not participating, journalists from an ICC member or associate nation are still eligible for accreditation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Babu, who also serves as president of the Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA), said the decision appears politically motivated rather than procedural.&nbsp;&ldquo;This reflects poorly on the ICC&rsquo;s claims of neutrality,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;India&rsquo;s outsized control over cricket is increasingly visible, and this decision fits that troubling pattern.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that the BSJA would consult with the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) and the Bangladesh Sports Journalists Community (BSJC) to determine possible collective action.&nbsp;The accreditation rejection comes amid strained relations between Bangladesh and India. Earlier, Bangladesh refused to tour India citing security concerns linked to deteriorating political ties. The ICC subsequently replaced Bangladesh with <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/scotland-replace-bangladesh-in-t20-world-cup-2026-after-icc-decision" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scotland</a> in the tournament and rejected Bangladesh&rsquo;s request to shift their matches to co-host Sri Lanka.&nbsp;The Bangladesh Cricket Board&rsquo;s decision not to travel followed the release of national pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his Indian Premier League franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, a move widely seen in Dhaka as politically driven and influenced by India&rsquo;s cricket authorities.&nbsp;The ICC media department was contacted for comment on the accreditation issue but had not responded at the time of filing.&nbsp;Critics say the episode underscores how India&rsquo;s dominance within the ICC is narrowing space for dissenting voices, including independent journalists, and undermining the spirit of inclusivity the global game claims to uphold.

Bangladeshi cricket captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (C) talks to journalists upon his arrival with his teammates at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on July 7, 2019, after leaving the 2019 cricket World Cup. (AFP)

The International Cricket Council rejects accreditation for Bangladeshi journalists at the T20 World Cup, drawing criticism over political bias, India’s influence, and restrictions on media access.

T20 World Cup: India-linked pressure shadows ICC media ban on Bangladeshi journalists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, stating that a final decision is expected to be taken either on Friday or next Monday. Naqvi wrote on his X, &ldquo;Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table.&rdquo; The chairman of PCB further added &ldquo;It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015760606700409207&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4ac4e8abe2a399a2a61c0f871cc0a2501873e317&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 763px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> The development comes amid growing questions over Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the tournament after the ICC decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/scotland-replace-bangladesh-in-t20-world-cup-2026-after-icc-decision" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">replace</a>&nbsp;Bangladesh with Scotland. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after refusing to tour India due to safety concerns stemming from strained political relations between the two countries, ahead of the scheduled to begin next month, according to ICC. The governing ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/icc-rejects-bangladeshs-plea-to-play-t20-world-cup-matches-outside-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">rejected</a>&nbsp;Bangladesh&rsquo;s request to move their matches to tournament co-host Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made the decision earlier this month, following the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders&#39; (KKR) release of experienced Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, at the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on Feb. 7, with Pakistan originally set to open their campaign against the Netherlands, according to ESPN cricinfo.&nbsp;Pakistan are drawn in &lsquo;Group A&rsquo; alongside India, the Netherlands, the USA and Namibia, with all of their group matches to be played in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model. Pakistan are due to face the USA on Feb. 10, followed by the much-anticipated clash against India on Feb. 15, before concluding the group stage against Namibia on Feb. 18.&nbsp;If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals and final, both matches are slated to be played in Colombo. Otherwise, the knockout fixtures will take place in Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi briefed PM Shehbaz Sharif on T20 World Cup 2026 participation, with a final decision expected Friday or Monday, amid Bangladesh’s replacement by Scotland.

Pakistan T20 World Cup participation decision expected soon; Naqvi briefs PM Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Former Australia all-rounder and Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie deleted a social media post on X after facing abuse for questioning the International Cricket Council&rsquo;s (ICC) decision to replace Bangladesh at the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026.&nbsp;Gillespie had asked why Bangladesh were not allowed to play their matches outside India, as had been permitted in previous ICC tournaments. In his now-deleted post, he wrote: &ldquo;Has there been an explanation from the ICC why Bangladesh could not play their games outside of India?&rdquo; Drawing comparisons with past ICC events, Gillespie pointed to what he described as inconsistency in the governing body&rsquo;s approach.&nbsp;&ldquo;From memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, and they were allowed to play those games outside of Pakistan. Can someone make this make sense?&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 802px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015312948873556044&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=92f6202c4d95765916e7e6012632060f0f36d306&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Following the deletion, several fans tagged Gillespie for clarification. He responded that he removed the post due to abuse. &ldquo;Because I got abused for asking a simple question, that&rsquo;s why,&rdquo; he wrote. The ICC announced on Jan. 24 that S<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/scotland-replace-bangladesh-in-t20-world-cup-2026-after-icc-decision" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">cotland would replace Bangladesh</a>&nbsp;at the T20 World Cup, scheduled in India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 7 to March 8.&nbsp;The governing body said the decision followed the Bangladesh Cricket Board&rsquo;s request to move its matches from India to Sri Lanka, which was denied, citing the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat.&nbsp;Scotland will open their campaign against the West Indies on Feb. 7 in Kolkata, face Italy on February 9, and England on Feb. 14. Their final group match against Nepal is scheduled in Mumbai on Feb. 17.

Drawing comparisons with past ICC events, Gillespie points to what he described as inconsistency in the governing body’s approach.

Former Australia great Gillespie faces backlash over Bangladesh T20 World Cup exclusion

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the squad on Sunday, signalling a blend of youth and experience as the team looks to reset after mixed recent performances. The omission of Haris Rauf, a regular feature in Pakistan&rsquo;s T20 setup in recent years, is the biggest surprise, with selectors opting for a slightly reshaped bowling attack.<h3 style="line-height: 2;"> </h3>The squad was announced at a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, addressed by PCB Director High Performance and men&rsquo;s national selection committee member Aqib Javed, Pakistan&rsquo;s T20I captain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-edge-sri-lanka-in-thrilling-sixrun-odi-opener-win" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Salman Ali Agha</a>, and white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson on Sunday morning. The batting unit includes Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Khawaja Nafay, and Usman Khan, offering a mix of proven international performers and emerging talent. Salman Ali Agha, who has been entrusted with captaincy, adds balance as a middle-order batter capable of contributing with the ball. In the all-rounders&rsquo; department,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/shadab-nafay-make-it-to-pakistans-t20i-squad-for-sri-lanka-series" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Shadab Khan</a>, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, and Salman Mirza provide flexibility, giving Pakistan multiple bowling options and depth in the batting lineup. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah will lead the pace attack, while Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq strengthen the spin resources for conditions expected to assist slower bowlers. <p style='margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 13px; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; scroll-behavior: auto !important; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-will-not-come-to-india-for-t20-world-cup-bcb" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">20-team tournament</a>, each team is set to play four group games before the Super Eight and Knockout Stage, all between Feb. 7 and 8 March.<p style='margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-size: 13px; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; scroll-behavior: auto !important; line-height: 2;'>Pakistan are also set to face Australia in a three-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on 29, 31 Jan. and Feb. 1, with the preparation camp starting today. <h3 style="line-height: 2;">Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup</h3>Salman Ali Agha (C), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Faheem Ashraf.

Pakistan's captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (C) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka's captain Charith Asalanka (not pictured) during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cri

The omission of Haris Rauf, a regular feature in Pakistan’s T20 setup in recent years, is the biggest surprise, with selectors opting for a slightly reshaped bowling attack.

Pakistan name T20 World Cup squad, Haris Rauf left out

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on Feb. 7 in India and Sri Lanka.&nbsp;The decision comes after the ICC issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-will-not-come-to-india-for-t20-world-cup-bcb" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">24-hour deadline</a>&nbsp;to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) earlier this week. With no resolution emerging within the stipulated time, the global cricket body confirmed the change on Saturday. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi strictly opposed the decision saying, &quot;Bangladesh is a key stakeholder in international cricket and must not be subjected to any form of injustice.&quot; Naqvi said, &quot;No country can dictate terms to another,&quot; he added, &quot;all cricketing nations should be treated equally.&quot; &quot;Bangladesh must play in the world cup at all costs, there should be no double standards&quot; As a result, Scotland will now feature in Group C of the tournament&rsquo;s preliminary stage. The team is set to open its campaign against the West Indies on Feb. 7, followed by matches against Italy on Feb. 9 and England on Feb. 14 in Kolkata. Scotland will then travel to Mumbai to face Nepal on Feb. 17.&nbsp;More details are expected as the ICC and participating boards issue further statements.

Decision comes after the ICC issued a 24-hour deadline to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) earlier this week

Scotland replace Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 after ICC decision

DHAKA:&nbsp;Bangladesh will not travel to India to play in next month&#39;s T20 World Cup, its cricket board said on Thursday, effectively ruling the country out of the tournament. &quot;Our only demand is to play the World Cup &mdash; but not in India,&quot; Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul told reporters. The refusal came a day after cricket&#39;s governing body <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/icc-rejects-bangladeshs-plea-to-play-t20-world-cup-matches-outside-india" style="color:#0073e6;">rejected</a> Bangladesh&#39;s plea to play its games in Sri Lanka instead. &quot;There is no scope for changing our decision,&quot; said Asif Nazrul, an adviser for youth and sports issues in Bangladesh&#39;s interim government. The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, with Bangladesh scheduled to play their four group matches in the Indian cities of Kolkata and Mumbai. The row between the neighboring nations erupted on January 3 when the Indian cricket board ordered the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-drops-bangladeshi-star-from-ipl-amid-political-pressure" style="color:#0073e6;">release</a> Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Mustafizur&#39;s removal from the IPL followed online outrage by right-wing Indian Hindus who invoked alleged attacks on a fellow community in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Dhaka maintains that the Indian media had exaggerated the scale of the violence. The sport&#39;s global governing body said on Wednesday it had &quot;engaged with the BCB in sustained and constructive dialogue&quot; to ensure Bangladesh could participate in the tournament, but added that those efforts had been &quot;rebuffed.&quot; The International Cricket Council (ICC) said &quot;independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities&quot; found there was &quot;no credible or verifiable threat to the safety&quot; of the Bangladesh team. &#39;Lose a huge audience&#39;&nbsp;However, Nazrul said Bangladesh&#39;s security concerns &quot;did not arise from speculation or theoretical analysis.&quot; &quot;They arose from a real incident &mdash; where one of our country&#39;s top players was forced to bow to extremists, and the Indian cricket board asked him to leave India,&quot; he said. Bangladesh will hold elections during the World Cup, its first since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi. Political relations have since soured between Bangladesh and India, where Hasina fled after she was ousted. There are wider issues for India, which is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, that are seen as a stepping stone for its ambitions to host the 2036 Olympics. &quot;Bangladesh is a cricket-loving nation. If a country of nearly 200 million people misses the World Cup, the ICC will lose a huge audience,&quot; the BCB&#39;s Bulbul said. &quot;Cricket is entering the Olympics in 2028, Brisbane in 2032, and India is bidding for 2036. Excluding a major cricket-loving country like Bangladesh would be a failure.&quot; Bangladesh&#39;s appeal to the ICC was not without precedent, with India&#39;s arch-enemy Pakistan to play all its games in Sri Lanka. That deal was struck after India, a financial and administrative powerhouse within cricket, refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy and played its matches in Dubai instead. However, the ICC said a year later, a similar shift was impossible for Bangladesh. &quot;There are many precedents worldwide where matches have been moved to other venues due to security risks,&quot; Bangladesh&#39;s Nazrul said. ICC sources told AFP this week that Bangladesh could be replaced by Scotland, the highest-ranked team that did not qualify outright for the World Cup.

ICC sources report that Scotland could replace Bangladesh, the highest-ranked team that did not qualify outright for the World Cup; refusal came a day after cricket's governing body rejected Bangladesh's plea to play its games in Sri Lanka instead.

Bangladesh refuse to go to India for T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Cricket Australia on Monday announced a 17-player squad for a three-match T20I series in Pakistan, set to serve as final preparation ahead of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistanorigin-us-cricketers-denied-indian-visas-for-t20-world-cup" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup</a>. All three matches will be held at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pcb-confirms-dates-for-australias-threematch-t20i-series-in-lahore" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore</a>&nbsp;from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1. The series comes as the Big Bash League (BBL) finals are underway in Australia, with some players joining the squad after their BBL campaigns conclude. Mitchell Marsh will lead the side as captain, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/heads-69ball-ton-powers-australia-to-victory-in-ashes-opener" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Travis Head</a>, Cameron Green, and Josh Inglis &mdash; who recently featured in Australia&rsquo;s Ashes series against England &mdash; are also included. Several key T20 World Cup players will miss the Pakistan tour due to injury management or fitness concerns, including Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Ellis, and Tim David. The squad includes promising young players such as Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards, who have impressed in recent BBL seasons and remain uncapped at the international level. Additional cover is provided by Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Mitch Owen, Josh Phillippe, and Matthew Renshaw. Australia&rsquo;s Chair of Selectors George Bailey said, &ldquo;The series is a great opportunity for young players and those on the fringe of selection to gain valuable experience with the World Cup group in Pakistan.&rdquo; Full Australia T20I squad for Pakistan series:Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Owen, Josh Phillippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short, Marcus Stonis, Adam Zampa

All three matches will be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1

Articles tagged with "ICC Men's T20 World Cup"

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Scotland replace Bangladesh in T20 World Cup 2026 after ICC decision

Bangladesh refuse to go to India for T20 World Cup

Australia announce squad for three-game T20I series in Pakistan

Pakistan land in Sri Lanka for T20 World Cup, will not play against India