Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi will skip the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Board meeting on Friday due to his commitment to an important Senate session in Islamabad.
Senate Session Takes Precedence
Sources confirmed that Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, will be required at the Senate meeting where the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment is expected to be presented and approved.
Naqvi is unlikely to attend the ICC meeting as he will be needed in the Senate session in Islamabad. He is an important member of the Upper House representing the Pakistan People’s Party, which is part of the coalition government, and his presence is crucial to support the amendment.
With Naqvi occupied in Islamabad, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed Syed — already in Dubai for the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting — is expected to represent Pakistan at the ICC Board session. Sources added that the likelihood of Naqvi joining the meeting via video link is “very remote.”
BCCI Set To Raise Conflict-Of-Interest Concerns
Naqvi’s absence spares him what could have been a tense exchange with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to media reports, the BCCI plans to submit a charge sheet against Naqvi, arguing that his dual roles as PCB chairman and interior minister constitute a conflict of interest under ICC governance rules.
The ICC’s governance code prohibits government interference in the running of national cricket boards — a principle the BCCI believes Naqvi’s position violates.
Tensions Trace Back To Asia Cup Row
Relations between the PCB and BCCI have remained strained since the Asia Cup held in the UAE in September. The controversy intensified when Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav declined to receive the winner’s trophy from Naqvi after India defeated Pakistan in the final on September 28.
The gesture was reportedly a protest over Naqvi’s alleged involvement in a military conflict earlier this year following terror attacks in Pahalgam, on the Indian side of Kashmir. India had blamed Pakistan for the incident, a charge Islamabad strongly denied.
Naqvi, then serving as Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, stood his ground, insisting he alone had the authority to present the trophy. He later invited the Indian team to attend a presentation ceremony in Dubai on November 10, but the BCCI rejected the offer and vowed to raise the issue at the upcoming ICC meeting.
Replacement Ready
With Sameer Ahmed Syed representing Pakistan in Dubai, the PCB will seek to maintain its presence at the ICC table despite Naqvi’s unavoidable absence from what could be a contentious session.
