Bangladesh was treated unfairly; we will follow the govt’s lead: PCB Chairman
By Nawaz Gohar ; PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reacted to the ICC’s decision to exclude Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup.
Speaking to the media in Lahore following the ICC’s announcement, the PCB Chairman stated that Bangladesh is a major stakeholder and has been treated unfairly. “I maintained during the ICC meeting as well that there should be no double standards,” Naqvi said. “We are waiting for the official decision from the ICC, and we have several plans in place.”
He further clarified that the PCB would abide by whatever decision the Government of Pakistan makes regarding the World Cup. “We are bound by the decisions of the Pakistani government more than those of the ICC. A final decision will only be made once Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns to the country,” Naqvi added.
It is worth noting that according to Indian media reports, the ICC has granted Scotland a place in the T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh team refused to play in India.
This decision comes after the ICC recently gave the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) a 24-hour ultimatum. However, the issues could not be resolved within the stipulated time, leading the ICC to take final action.
According to sources, the ICC Chief Executive informed the ICC Board in writing on Saturday morning that Bangladesh’s demands were not in accordance with ICC policy. He stated that Bangladesh failed to implement the ICC Board’s decision, which led to the inclusion of Scotland in the tournament.
This letter was also sent to BCB President Aminul Islam, who is a member of the ICC Board. Simultaneously, the ICC sent a formal invitation to Cricket Scotland, though their Chief Executive has yet to issue an official response.
Sources suggest that Scotland was given this opportunity based on their past performances in ICC events and their current global ranking (14th). In the 2024 World Cup, Scotland finished third in Group B, and in 2021, they famously surprised everyone by defeating Bangladesh.
