Pakistan begin World Cup buildup amid uncertainty over participation
As the clock ticks down to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, all eyes are on Pakistan—not just for on-field performance, but for clarity off the field. The country’s participation in the tournament, which begins on February 7, remains in doubt pending official clearance from the government.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the matter, stating that “all options remain open,” with a final decision expected by Friday or next Monday. The delay stems from Pakistan’s protest against the ICC’s replacement of Bangladesh with Scotland, after Bangladesh cited security concerns over playing in India.
Despite the uncertainty, Pakistan has named its World Cup squad, nearly identical to the one selected for the current series against Australia. Fast bowler Muhammad Wasim Jr is the only omission from the World Cup lineup but remains part of the T20I squad facing the visitors.
Broadcast controversy dismissed as Australian coverage confirmed
In the days leading up to the series, reports emerged claiming that Australian TV networks would boycott the Pakistan-Australia T20Is due to poor time slots and reduced commercial appeal. According to reports, networks had cited late-night AEDT match timings and the absence of top players as reasons for skipping the broadcast.
However, these claims were later rebuffed, with both Foxtel and Kayo Sports confirming their coverage of the three-match series. The matches, set for January 29, 31 and February 1 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, will be aired live despite the non-prime-time scheduling.
Australia arrive with depleted squad but focused intent
Australia touched down in Lahore earlier this week, beginning their third tour of Pakistan in four years. While the squad is missing high-profile names like Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis, team captain Mitchell Marsh emphasized that there is no internal concern about the missing stars.
“We’ve got some guys that weren’t quite ready to be here,” he said during the pre-match press conference in Lahore. “But they’re back home training and preparing to meet us in Sri Lanka, so absolutely no stress there from our end.”
The Australian side still features Ashes-tested players such as Travis Head, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis. It also offers debut opportunities for Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards, while Matthew Renshaw looks to complete a rare three-format international cap.
Marsh praises Pakistan’s pace and leadership
Speaking ahead of the first match, Marsh highlighted the challenge Pakistan’s bowling lineup presents. “Pakistan’s got a great history of fast bowlers, so no doubt that we’re looking forward to that challenge,” he said, specifically singling out Shaheen Shah Afridi as a threat.
“Especially Shaheen: he’s an amazing bowler and it’s going to be a great challenge for our group,” Marsh noted.
When asked about Babar Azam, who returns to the squad after a tough Big Bash League season, Marsh offered glowing praise. “Babar’s been a world-class player for a long period of time for Pakistan. So we have great respect for him. And we know that in these conditions he’s one of the best players in the world still, so we look forward to that challenge.”
He also spoke broadly about the upcoming contests. “We have great respect for them and we look forward to the challenge of playing them here … we’re just really excited about the opportunity.”
Salman Ali Agha says no room for complacency
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha took a similarly respectful tone during his media interaction, brushing off talk that Australia’s depleted lineup offers Pakistan an easy path.
“Whoever comes from the Australian team, their mentality is such that they’re all good players and they think about dominating the game,” he said. “So you can’t say that because three or four of their main players haven’t come, this is a golden opportunity.”
He also challenged the notion of stronger or weaker teams in international cricket. “If you’re playing internationally, no team can be easy … any team that comes to us, we don’t look at whether they’re the number one team or lower-ranked than us; we look at how we can improve our cricket and what plan we can execute.”
With the World Cup approaching, Salman stressed the value of this series for preparation. “There are some boxes that need to be ticked — this is one of those series where, we will tick all boxes,” he said.
He also confirmed that Pakistan has been practicing on surfaces designed to replicate Sri Lankan conditions, where they are scheduled to play their World Cup matches, including a warm-up game—also against Australia—before the tournament officially begins on February 11.
A high-stakes series begins in Lahore
The first match of the series is scheduled for January 29 at 4:00 PM PKT, with the next two set for January 31 and February 1. While Australia sees this series as critical World Cup prep, Pakistan views it as both a sporting and political milestone.
Until their World Cup participation is confirmed, every game they play carries added weight. For fans in both nations—and for international cricket at large—what happens on and off the field in Lahore this week could have implications far beyond the boundary ropes.
