Who Will Replace Pakistan If they Decide to Pull Out of the T20 World Cup?

Pakistan is scheduled to begin its 2026 T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 against the Netherlands, with all its fixtures hosted in Colombo.

Who Will Replace Pakistan If they Decide to Pull Out of the T20 World Cup?

Uganda or Bangladesh could replace Pakistan at the 2026 T20 World Cup. (via Inside Sport)

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Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming 2026 ICC T20 World Cup remains uncertain, with the Pakistan Cricket Board yet to decide whether to withdraw, following Bangladesh’s course. With the tournament scheduled to start on February 7, who replaces Pakistan is a matter of speculation.

The PCB was the only member board to come out in support of Bangladesh, after the latter found itself in a standoff with the ICC. Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Cricket Board opted against traveling to India for the T20 World Cup, citing security concerns, while demanding that the ICC shift the team’s matches to Sri Lanka. After multiple rounds of unsuccessful meetings and negotiations, Bangladesh ultimately announced its withdrawal.

Soon after, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi publicly stated that Pakistan would also re-evaluate its participation in the T20 World Cup. Naqvi deemed the ICC’s handling of the Bangladesh issue ‘unfair’ and said Pakistan would decide by the end of the week. Naqvi’s statements have caused significant controversy, leading the ICC to consider imposing sanctions on the team should it choose to withdraw.

In this scenario, with the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just days away, the question of who would replace Pakistan also takes center stage. Following Bangladesh’s withdrawal, the ICC brought in Scotland, based on their T20I Ranking. Scotland is ranked 14th, just behind the other participating teams. Similarly, if Pakistan withdraws, Uganda might replace them in Group A, placed alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA.

Uganda finished fifth during the African Regional Qualifiers, well behind Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania, but their higher ICC ranking (21) makes them an automatic contender. However, recent sources suggest the ICC has also kept Bangladesh on standby. They may be given the opportunity to replace Pakistan in Group A and play all their matches in Sri Lanka, given that Bangladesh had already prepared for the tournament by announcing its squad.

It remains uncertain what course of action the PCB will take, and they might also consider forfeiting the match against India at the T20 World Cup. Despite this uncertainty, Pakistan has already announced its 15-member squad for the tournament, with Salman Ali Agha as captain.

Iceland Cricket mocks Pakistan for T20 World Cup fiasco, puts name forward as replacement

Pakistan’s controversial stance on participating in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup has sparked backlash, with fans publicly mocking the team. The PCB has already received a warning from the ICC about potential sanctions and bans if it withdraws at the last minute.

Iceland cricket troll Pakistan
Iceland Cricket tolled Pakistan over its T20 World Cup participation fiasco. (via NDTV Sports)

Iceland cricket shared a witty social media post, trolling Pakistan over their threat to boycott the World Cup. The quirky post quickly gained fan attention, as Iceland also offered to step in as Pakistan’s World Cup replacement. They urged the PCB to make a quick decision on the T20 World Cup by February 2, stating the Iceland men’s cricket team would be ready to leave for Sri Lanka by February 7.

The European nation also urged the PCB to decide soon, as Iceland would hope to arrive in Sri Lanka in time for the first match without being jet-lagged. Iceland Cricket added to the humour by sharing a picture of the flight schedule, showing how long it would take for them to reach Colombo. However, Iceland’s claim to a spot at the 2026 World Cup is unlikely, as it is not yet recognized by the ICC.

Should Pakistan choose not to participate in the World Cup, it risks sanctions. These penalties could include suspending all bilateral cricket ties with other countries, excluding them from the Asia Cup, and banning foreign players from the Pakistan Super League.

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