“No Personal Demands”: Mohsin Naqvi Denies Pushing For India Bilaterals In ICC Meet

PESHAWAR — Breaking his silence following the dramatic reversal of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup boycott, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi clarified on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, that the board did not use the crisis to negotiate bilateral cricket ties with India.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Naqvi dismissed widespread speculation that Pakistan had conditioned its participation in the February 15 clash in Colombo on a guaranteed spot in future World Test Championship (WTC) cycles against India. Instead, he framed Pakistan’s stance as a principled defense of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

1. The “Bangladesh Factor”

Naqvi emphasized that the primary friction point with the ICC was the “unjust” treatment of Bangladesh, who were excluded from the current T20 World Cup after refusing to play their fixtures in India.

• The Stance: “We did not discuss anything apart from Bangladesh. Our only purpose was to get respect for Bangladesh and highlight the injustice done to them,” Naqvi stated.
• The Result: He pointed out that the government only gave the green light to play after the ICC formally acknowledged the “unfortunate” nature of Bangladesh’s absence and agreed to waive all penalties against the BCB.
• Hosting Rights: As part of the resolution, the ICC has already confirmed that Bangladesh will host an ICC event (likely the 2028 U-19 World Cup) as a restorative measure.

2. Denial of Bilateral Trade-offs

For weeks, rumors had swirled that the PCB was leveraging the boycott threat to end the 13-year drought of bilateral series between India and Pakistan.

“We had no personal interest in the meeting. Our task was purely related to Bangladesh,” Naqvi reiterated. “The government took its decision on that basis. When their demands were accepted… we decided to play.”

However, the cricket world remains skeptical. A PTI report surfacing on Tuesday suggested that the ICC has indeed offered “concessions” to Pakistan—potentially involving financial guarantees or hosting assurances—the details of which are reportedly being withheld until the World Cup concludes to avoid distracting from the tournament.

3. The Road to February 15

With the boycott threat neutralized, the focus shifts to the pitch. Pakistan’s win against the USA on Tuesday has placed them at the top of Group A, setting the stage for a high-velocity encounter against India this Sunday.