Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan also expressed Pakistan’s stance amid uncertainty over their participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Pakistan has threatened to boycott the World Cup after Bangladesh pulled out of the tournament.

Irrfan Pathan said Pakistan had no right to boycott the tournament. Because they have agreed to play the 2026 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, which is a neutral venue.

Pakistan to boycott 2026 T20 World Cup?

The upcoming T20 World Cup, which starts on February 7, will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Due to political issues between India and Pakistan, Pakistan’s matches, including the India vs. Pakistan match, will be scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka.

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The flagship tournament of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to kick off on February 7 with the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from February 15. Pathan believes that since Pakistan agreed to the hybrid model, their threat to boycott the World Cup is totally pointless.

Nonsense from Pakistan: Irfan Pathan

Speaking to RevSportz, Irfan Pathan said: “Pakistan is talking nonsense after agreeing to the hybrid model – there is no point in creating fresh boycott drama once the terms are accepted.”

Backstage with Boliya | Irrfan Pathan

“Pakistan is talking nonsense after agreeing to hybrid model – there is no point in creating new boycott drama once the terms are accepted.” — Irrfan Pathan

🎥 The full interview will air at 12pm.@AgeasFederal @BoriaMajumdar @IrfanPathan… pic.twitter.com/u0gs7Ys1Az

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) January 30, 2026

India veteran Ajinkya Rahane also raised his voice against Pakistan. Rahane questioned the courage of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and also believed that Pakistan had no reason to boycott the tournament.

“I don’t think they will do it. They don’t have the guts,” Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz.

Why does theatrical performance mean zero?

What Rahane and Pathan said makes sense. As Pathan said, the hybrid model was formed with the Pakistan Cricket Board in mind, so it is their responsibility to keep their word.

The International Cricket Council may not hesitate to sanction some stringent action against the Pakistan cricket team if they refuse to play and avoid matches. Even banning the team is not out of the question as the ICC is the highest governing body of the sport.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the situation ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Naqvi told the media they were considering all possibilities, meaning they could also consider calling for a boycott.

Some reports also claim that the PCB may not completely boycott the 2026 T20 World Cup matches, but they could express their protest by skipping the India-Pakistan match scheduled to be played in Colombo on February 15.

Read more: Mohsin Naqvi backstabs Pakistan, admits fears of Jai Shah’s ICC to PM in private meeting