The International Cricket Council (ICC) has formally received demands from Pakistan to issue an official apology to the Bangladeshi fans and provide financial compensation to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for their removal from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
This situation arose after Bangladesh withdrew from the tournament in late January 2026 due to safety concerns regarding playing matches in India, leading the ICC to replace them with Scotland in Group C: “Apologize and Pay’: Pakistan’s Bold Ultimatums to ICC over Bangladesh World Cup Snub.
Official Demands
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has formally requested that the ICC apologize to Bangladesh for what he termed an “unfair decision” and share a portion of the tournament’s revenue with the BCB to mitigate their projected 240 crore loss.
Solidarity Protest
In a show of support for Bangladesh, the Pakistan government directed its team to boycott their high-profile match against India scheduled for February 15, 2026, in Colombo.
BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul traveled to Lahore on February 9, 2026, for emergency meetings with the PCB and ICC officials to resolve the deadlock.
The ICC initially rejected Bangladesh’s request to move matches to Sri Lanka, citing an independent security assessment that found no credible threat. However, they have since warned that “selective participation” by teams like Pakistan undermines the spirit of the competition.
Status of the 2026 T20 World Cup
The tournament officially began on February 7, 2026, and is currently ongoing in India and Sri Lanka.
| Event/Status | Details |
| Tournament Dates | February 7 – March 8, 2026 |
| Host Nations | India and Sri Lanka |
| Bangladesh Status | Withdrawn; The BCB cited security concerns in India. The ICC officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C. |
| Pakistan vs. India | Scheduled for Feb 15 in Colombo, Pakistan’s government has announced a boycott of this specific match in solidarity with Bangladesh. |
| Estimated BCB Loss | ~240 Crores (PKR/BDT) ($27 Million); represents a nearly 60% drop in the board’s annual revenue due to loss of ICC shares and sponsorships. |
