Iceland Cricket injected humour into the growing T20 World Cup controversy by trolling Pakistan amid speculation over a possible boycott of the tournament.
The tongue-in-cheek post surfaced as off-field tensions escalated following Bangladesh’s withdrawal and critical remarks from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The associate nation took to social media to mock the uncertainty around Pakistan’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, joking that it was ready to step in should Pakistan pull out.
“We really need Pakistan to decide soon upon their participation in the T20 WC. We are ready to take off as soon as they pull out on 2nd Feb, but the flight schedule is a logistical nightmare to get us to Colombo in good time for 7th Feb. Our opening bat is an insomniac!” Iceland Cricket wrote.
The post quickly drew attention online, adding a light-hearted moment to an otherwise serious dispute.
Pakistan-Bangladesh controversy
The humour comes against the backdrop of a brewing row between the PCB and the International Cricket Council (ICC). Mohsin Naqvi recently criticised the ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament after they refused to travel to India citing security concerns. He argued that Bangladesh, as a full ICC member, should have been offered neutral venues similar to Pakistan’s arrangement for India-hosted ICC events.
The ICC rejected that argument, stating that independent security assessments by internal and external experts found no credible or verifiable threat to Bangladesh’s players, officials or supporters in India. With Bangladesh unwilling to travel despite those assurances, the ICC replaced them with Scotland.
ICC warns Pakistan
Naqvi’s remarks sparked speculation over whether Pakistan could consider a similar late withdrawal. However, the PCB announced its 15-member squad for the tournament a day after his comments. Sources told India Today that the ICC has warned Pakistan of severe sanctions if it attempts a boycott, warning of long-term repercussions for Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan will play the tournament under a hybrid model, with all their matches scheduled in Sri Lanka. The same arrangement applies to the 2026 T20 World Cup, with Pakistan set to play all their fixtures in Colombo.
Pakistan and India are scheduled to face each other on February 15 in Colombo, with both teams placed in Group A.
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