T20 World Cup: Will the ICC lose 176 million viewers if Bangladesh withdraws? Why did Pakistan's Yusuf face the wrath of the fans?

Former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf made a statement on the social media platform X regarding Bangladesh's exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2026, which sparked a new debate in the cricket world. Yousuf claimed that the ICC would suffer a huge loss in viewership due to Bangladesh's exclusion. He wrote that the combined viewership of New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Nepal, the Netherlands, Ireland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan is approximately the same as that of Bangladesh alone.

What did Yousuf say?

In his post, Mohammad Yousuf wrote, "The combined cricket viewership of all these countries – New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Nepal, Netherlands, Ireland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan – is the same as what Bangladesh generates alone.

Combined number of 10 countries: 178 million

Bangladesh alone: ​​176 million.

In a sport driven by global viewership, ignoring Bangladesh's security concerns raises questions about consistency and governance. Cricket should be governed by principles, not influence." Yousuf's implication was clear: removing a viewership-heavy country like Bangladesh is not profitable for the ICC.

What did the fact-check reveal?

However, immediately after Yousuf's statement, his claim was fact-checked through a community note on social media. The note stated, "The figures cited by Yousuf (178 and 176 million) are not actual viewership figures, but rather the populations of the respective countries. Bangladesh's share of global viewership is approximately four to five percent, while countries like Australia have higher TV penetration." This means Yousuf's argument was based on population figures, not actual cricket viewership.

Pakistan's peculiar situation

With Bangladesh's exclusion, a different kind of debate began in Pakistan. According to reports, Pakistan is considering the option of withdrawing from the tournament in support of Bangladesh. In this context, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and discussed the strategy. However, the government has said it will make a final decision in a week, but a boycott could be detrimental to Pakistan. The PCB could face strict sanctions and financial losses. This could further worsen the PCB's financial situation, as cricket analysts have previously indicated.

Yousuf's statement backfired

Yousuf's statement sparked a debate on viewership figures, but a fact-check revealed that the argument was based on incorrect data. On the other hand, the ICC rejected Bangladesh's security concerns and proceeded with the tournament, while Pakistan is still considering its options. Furthermore, several media reports claim that Pakistan's boycott of the tournament would open the door for Bangladesh to re-enter the competition. Pakistan is scheduled to play all its matches in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model. According to reports, if Pakistan decides to boycott, Bangladesh will be included in its place. This would also fulfill Bangladesh's demand to play in Sri Lanka, and Pakistan would be left out.