‘Pakistan is provoking Bangladesh’: BCCI VP hits out as PCB delays T20 WC decision

NEW DELHI: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has accused Pakistan of misleading Bangladesh implicit information concerns that yet led to Dhaka’s refusal to play its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches successful India, triggering Scotland’s precocious inclusion successful the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking to ANI, Shukla said Bangladesh had been assured of afloat information and that its concerns were addressed, but the concern was aggravated by extracurricular interference. “We wanted Bangladesh to play, and we besides assured afloat security, but since they person made this decision, it is precise hard to alteration the full docket astatine the past moment. This is wherefore Scotland was brought in,” Shukla said.

He was acold much nonstop portion referring to Pakistan’s relation successful the episode. “Pakistan is intervening successful the substance without immoderate crushed and provoking Bangladesh. Everyone knows the brutality done by Pakistan connected the Bangladeshis, and present they are trying to mislead them, which is wholly wrong,” helium added.The comments travel amid uncertainty implicit Pakistan’s ain information successful the T20 World Cup, to beryllium co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) president and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had earlier indicated that Islamabad could rethink its information pursuing Bangladesh’s withdrawal from matches successful India.

According to Dawn News, Naqvi suggested Pakistan could reconsider playing successful the tournament, a stance helium aboriginal followed up by delaying a last decision. On Monday, Naqvi said a telephone connected Pakistan’s information would beryllium deferred by up to a week.

After gathering Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Naqvi described it arsenic a “productive meeting” and said the premier had “directed that we resoluteness it portion keeping each options connected the table”.

He aboriginal posted connected X that the last determination would beryllium taken “either connected Friday oregon adjacent Monday”.Despite the uncertainty, Pakistan announced a 15-member squad for the World Cup a time aft Naqvi’s archetypal remarks, adjacent arsenic section media reported that the PCB was besides considering boycotting a February 15 clash against arch-rivals India owed to governmental tensions.Pakistan backed Bangladesh during an ICC Board meeting, citing past year’s Champions Trophy precedent wherever India played their matches successful Dubai owed to information concerns successful Pakistan. However, the ICC stood firm, prioritising the integrity of the tourney schedule.