The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the country's participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Chairman Mohsin Naqvi indicating that a final decision will be made either on Friday or the following Monday. This announcement follows a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, where the matter was discussed at length.

Naqvi conveyed on social media that the Prime Minister has instructed the board to explore all available options before reaching a resolution. He stated, "I had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister and briefed him on the ICC matter. 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".

Sources suggest that Prime Minister Sharif has urged the PCB to extend as much support as possible to Bangladesh, who were recently ousted from the tournament commencing on February 7th. Multiple scenarios were reportedly presented to the Prime Minister, including the possibility of Pakistan not sending its team to the World Cup, or participating but boycotting the high-profile match against India scheduled for February 15th, if such actions would benefit Bangladesh cricket.

This situation arose after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the 20-team event, following Bangladesh's refusal to travel to India due to "security concerns". Bangladesh had requested to shift their matches to Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected this proposal, stating that no verifiable threat existed.

Naqvi has openly supported Bangladesh, alleging that the ICC has treated them unfairly and applied double standards. "Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. I said the same in the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC). You cannot have double standards, where one country can make whatever decision whenever and do the total opposite for another country," Naqvi stated. He further added, "That is why we have taken the stand that Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and should be allowed to play the World Cup in any case. They are a major stakeholder, and this injustice should not be done".

Despite the uncertainty surrounding their participation, Pakistan has already announced a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup. Salman Ali Agha will lead the team in the tournament, which is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. However, officials have stressed that naming a team does not confirm participation, leaving the door open for a late political decision. All of Pakistan's group matches are slated to be held in Sri Lanka.

The PCB's High Performance Director and member of the men's national team selection committee, Aaqib Javed, stated, "We are selectors, and our job is to pick the team. We've announced the team very close to the (ICC) deadline. The government will decide on our participation. So, I can say nothing on that front".

This delay in the final decision adds pressure on the ICC as it finalizes its tournament plans. The situation has moved beyond cricket administration and now involves government-level considerations, where Pakistan will weigh sporting participation against domestic optics and leverage abroad. The phrase "all options on the table" suggests that Pakistan is considering various possibilities, ranging from complete withdrawal to conditional entry, symbolic protests during matches, or a more targeted stance focused on a specific fixture.