Naqvi to Pakistan players after squad selection: Participation in T20 World Cup subject to government’s advice

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday dismissed the impression that the announcement of the World Cup squad meant that the country had decided to take part in next month’s ICC mega event.

Naqvi reiterated his earlier stand that the PCB is waiting to know the Pakistan government’s stand on the nation’s participation in the T20 World Cup, scheduled across India and Sri Lanka.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had pushed Bangladesh out of the upcoming T20 World Cup on Saturday, bringing in Scotland after the BCB refused to let its team travel to India, citing security concerns in the wake of Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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“We are waiting for the government’s advice and whatever the government tells us to do, we will do it. If they don’t want us to go for the World Cup, we will follow it,” Naqvi informed Pakistan players and head coach Mike Hesson in Lahore during a meeting which was held after the squad announcement.

Pakistan on Sunday named a Salman Ali Agha-led 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup. During the meeting, Naqvi briefed the players about the PCB’s policy on the issue of Bangladesh being excluded from the T20 World Cup because of its unwillingness to travel to India due to security concerns.

Later in a statement, the PCB said the players backed the principled stance of the board to support Bangladesh.

Naqvi also told the players that Bangladesh’s stance of not wanting to play its matches in India was a principled one.

“We firmly reject the double standards of the ICC,” Naqvi was quoted as saying in the PCB statement, adding that the game should be run within the spirt and principles of the game.

Naqvi also reminded Pakistan’s players that the fans have placed high expectations on them ahead of the home white-ball series against Australia and the World Cup, and urged them to give their best.

Published on Jan 25, 2026

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