PCB furious over ICC T20 World Cup promotion in 2026

PCB furious over ICC T20 World Cup promotion in 2026

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly expressed strong displeasure with the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the exclusion of Pakistan captain, Salman Ali Agha, from the official promotional poster released ahead of the match. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The controversy surfaced after the ICC unveiled a poster to boost ticket sales for the tournament, featuring captains from selected countries, while leaving out the Pakistan skipper. So let’s take a look at PCB fuming over the ICC T20 World Cup promotion.

According to a report from News18Senior PCB officials have already raised the matter with the ICC, seeking clarity on why Pakistan’s captain was not involved in the campaign despite the team being one of the participating countries in the marquee event.

ICC poster with selected team captains

The promotional artwork, which was shared on the ICC’s official social media platforms on December 11, featured the captains of India, Australia, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The poster was released shortly before ticket sales went live later that same evening.

Salman Ali Agha’s absence from the visual promotion reportedly irked PCB officials, who believe such marketing initiatives should fairly represent all competing teams, especially a former world champion like Pakistan.

PCB is concerned about repeated exclusion

This is not the first case of Pakistan feeling sidelined at the ICC or broadcaster-led promotions. Similar concerns were raised during the 2025 Asia Cup when Pakistan’s captain was missing from the tournament’s promotional material.

“We faced a similar problem a few months ago during the Asia Cup when promotional campaigns were launched without our captain in the lead role,” a PCB source said. “Unfortunately, we are now seeing a repeat of that situation.”

The board reportedly views this as an issue affecting Pakistan’s visibility and representation on the global cricket field.

Rankings may have influenced ICC’s decision

A possible explanation for the omission, as suggested by sources, could be Pakistan’s current position outside the top five in the ICC T20I rankings. This factor may have influenced the ICC’s choice to highlight teams considered higher ranked or more commercially prominent.

However, the PCB believes that rankings should not dictate promotional fairness, especially if all teams are participating in the tournament.

PCB Hopeful for a solution before the tournament starts

Despite the frustration, the PCB remains optimistic that the ICC will address the issue quickly. Officials believe that the governing body will adjust the promotional materials to ensure that Pakistan gets proper representation ahead of the global event.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the 10th edition of the tournament, will begin on February 7, 2026. Pakistan will kick off its campaign with the tournament opener against the Netherlands, which will be played in Colombo.

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