Pakistan may review its decision on participating in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, if the concerns of the Bangladesh Cricket Board are not addressed, well-placed sources told Geo News on Sunday.
The Bangladesh government has reached out to Pakistan for support over its decision to skip travelling to India for the tournament, citing security concerns, sources said.
They added that Pakistan supports Bangladesh's legitimate concerns, emphasising that they should be addressed and acted upon.
Pakistan has also stressed that no country should face pressure or threats from India, assuring Bangladesh of its full support on the matter.
On January 11, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed its willingness to host Bangladesh's matches in the T20 World Cup after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided against travelling to India over security concerns.
PCB sources confirmed that Pakistan formally communicated its interest in hosting Bangladesh's fixtures should venues in Sri Lanka be unavailable.
They added that all Pakistani venues are fully prepared to stage World Cup matches and highlighted Pakistan's successful hosting of major ICC events, including the Champions Trophy 2025, and the ICC Women's Qualifier.
Meanwhile, in another development, Cricket Ireland (CI) clarified that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will not move Ireland's group-stage matches out of Sri Lanka, dismissing reports of a possible group swap with Bangladesh.
This follows claims that the BCB had requested a group exchange due to concerns over travelling to India.
"We've received definitive assurances that we won't move from the original schedule. We're definitely playing the group stage in Sri Lanka," a Cricket Ireland official confirmed.
Under the current schedule, Bangladesh are in Group B with West Indies, England, Nepal, and Italy, playing their matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. Ireland is in Group C alongside co-hosts Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe, and Oman, with all fixtures in Sri Lanka.
The BCB reportedly discussed the possibility of a group swap with ICC officials in Dhaka on Saturday to minimise logistical challenges, though the proposal received little support from the ICC or Cricket Ireland.
According to the current schedule, Bangladesh will play their first three group matches in Kolkata — against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 — before concluding against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
