PCB says T20 World Cup decision on Friday but tournament boycott unlikely

After strong rhetoric from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about potentially boycotting the T20 World Cup to protest Bangladesh's ouster, the board may ultimately comply. Mohsin Naqvi, who previously stated all options were open, moderated his tone on Monday following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday," the PCB chief said in a social media post.

Prior to this meeting, Pakistani media speculated the team might boycott the high-profile match against India on February 15. However, the prevailing view is that Pakistan will have no choice but to follow the World Cup schedule.

Pakistan has been informed that breaching its participation agreement with the ICC could result in severe sanctions. These include suspension from global and continental tournaments and the withdrawal of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Pakistani players in overseas leagues like the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Additionally, it is understood Pakistan lacks substantial grounds to boycott either the tournament or the India match at a venue of its choosing.