PCB expresses displeasure as ICC omits Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha from T20 World Cup ticket poster

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is displeased over the ICC’s decision to omit Pakistan’s T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, from the official ticket sales poster for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which was released alongside the announcement of Phase I ticket sales on December 11.

The promotional poster, designed to mention marquee players from participating nations, features several leading international cricketers but noticeably excludes Agha, despite him being Pakistan’s appointed captain for the tournament. The omission has not gone down well with the PCB, which views the decision as a significant oversight and a failure to appropriately represent Pakistan’s leadership on a global platform.

Sources within the PCB indicated that the board has formally communicated its concerns to the ICC, seeking clarification on the criteria used to select players for promotional material. The PCB believes that, as the captain of one of cricket’s most followed teams, Salman Agha deserved inclusion, particularly in a campaign aimed at engaging fans and driving ticket sales.

"We faced the same issues when the Asia Cup was held a few months back, and that time the broadcasters had started a promotional campaign without our captain featuring in it. We are facing a similar situation this time as the ICC has not projected our captain on the promotional poster for ticket sales," a reliable source in the PCB was quoted by India Today.

Pakistan to play curtain raiser of T20WC 2026

PCB officials reportedly feel that the absence of Pakistan’s captain undermines the team and does not match the ICC’s stated vision of inclusivity and fair representation. Salman Ali Agha, who has taken over the T20I captaincy in a transitional phase for Pakistan cricket, is expected to lead the team when the tournament gets underway in February 2026. With Pakistan scheduled to feature on the opening day of the competition against the Netherlands in Colombo, the omission has grabbed significant attention.