Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 09:55 IST
Basit Ali urges PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi not to boycott the 2026 T20 World Cup, instead suggesting ‘to start with’ boycotting the India-Pakistan U19 World Cup game on February 1.
Pakistan is considering boycotting the 2026 T20 World Cup.
(AFP)
Former Pakistan captain Basit Ali has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, against boycotting the 2026 T20 World Cup entirely or specifically the group-stage clash against India. Instead, he suggested that the Pakistani team should wear black armbands for the match against the rivals on February 15, and boycott the same match-up in the ongoing Under-19 World Cup.
India Under-19 and Pakistan Under-19 will meet in the Super Sixes stage of the youth competition on February 1 at the Queen Sports Club, Bulawayo. Boycotting that game would amount to a forfeit for Pakistan, and because they came to this round having already lost one match in the group stage, losing two points to India without a fight could prove destructive for their campaign.
“Pakistan should not boycott, but wear black armbands and play the India game,” Basit said on his YouTube channel. “… Why wait for the Feb 15 India vs Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup? If you have to boycott, do it on Feb 1st, Pakistan vs India U-19 World Cup game. Do it in the U-19 World Cup, you will get to know the effect,” he said.
Basit added that Pakistan should ‘strike first at the U-19 World Cup’ instead of the senior event. Warning that the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s removal of Bangladesh from the 2026 T20 World Cup had hurt cricket long-term, he noted Pakistan could legally forfeit a match but urged Naqvi and ICC chairman Jay Shah to make choices that don’t further the damage.
Naqvi and the PCB have floated suggestions of boycotting the T20 World Cup, just days before its start, as a mark of solidarity to Bangladesh, since the team was removed after refusing to travel to India due to security concerns. The ICC, through anonymous officials’ comments to the media, has warned of stringent sanctions if the PCB attempts such a stunt, making it an extremely messy situation overall.
Naqvi, on his part, deferred the ‘final’ decision for Friday or Monday next week after a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
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First Published:
January 27, 2026, 09:54 IST
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