Pakistan will begin its campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 before taking on the United States on February 10. One of the most important matches of the group stage follows on February 15, when Pakistan takes on arch-rivals India. Their final group match is scheduled against Namibia on February 18, completing their commitments in the first round of the tournament.
However, the build-up to the competition has been overshadowed by developments surrounding Bangladesh’s exit from the World Cup, prompting organizers to include Scotland as their replacement. Bangladesh’s departure has intensified speculation about the implications of further withdrawals, especially as Pakistan’s participation is now being discussed in certain quarters.
According to reports, Pakistan supported Bangladesh’s request to shift their matches to alternative venues. It is understood that Pakistan voted in favor of Bangladesh’s proposal during the ICC meeting. However, the ICC’s overall decision remained unchanged and no changes were made to the planned locations.
If Pakistan were to boycott the tournament, the consequences could be significant as they would lose nearly $5 million in preparation and participation-related fees, while players could collectively lose out on around $2 million in prize money and match-related revenue. Such a development would also impact the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for whom ICC events are an important source of revenue and scheduling stability.
In case of Pakistan’s withdrawal, the vacant slot would have to be filled to ensure the tournament goes off as planned. It has been suggested that Uganda, the second-highest ranked T20 side who narrowly missed out on qualification, could be elevated to the main draw, following the same approach taken after Bangladesh’s exit to maintain tournament balance.
So far, no official confirmation has been issued about Pakistan’s position. With the tournament approaching and group stage matches already set, further withdrawals would mark a key moment in the run-up to the World Cup, with far-reaching consequences for teams, organizers and the competition itself.
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