Mohsin Naqvi Invited to IPL Final and ICC Meeting in India — PM Shehbaz to Decide on Travel
By Sayed Abdullah | May 16, 2026
So here's a situation that sums up Pakistan-India cricket relations pretty neatly. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has two invitations on his desk right now. One is for the ICC board meeting in Ahmedabad, where some big decisions about the World Test Championship are going to be made. The other is for the IPL final — a gesture, sure, but one that carries a lot of symbolic weight. The catch? He can't say yes to either until Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gives him the green light.
And honestly, that one detail — that the prime minister's office has to sign off — tells you almost everything you need to know about how cricket and politics are tangled up in this part of the world.
The ICC Meeting Actually Matters
The ICC's schedule this month has two parts. The Chief Executives Committee meets virtually on May 21 — that one's easy, no travel needed. But the full board meeting is happening in Ahmedabad on May 30 and 31, in person. And the agenda is not routine stuff. They're talking about changing the World Test Championship format — right now teams have to play at least two Tests per series, and there's a proposal to bring Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan into the championship. These are decisions that affect Pakistan directly, and if we don't have a voice at the table, they'll be made without us.
So Naqvi's presence isn't just ceremonial. It's about protecting Pakistan's interests in a structure that's still evolving. Missing out because of political clearance issues would be more than embarrassing — it'd be strategically foolish.
The IPL Final Invitation: Nice Gesture, Complicated Optics
The IPL final invitation is a different beast. It's a nice gesture, no doubt — a recognition of Naqvi's position as PCB chief. But it's also the kind of thing that gets people talking at home. Someone will inevitably ask: why is our chairman watching a league that our own players are banned from? And in an election year, or any politically sensitive period, those optics matter.
I'm not saying it's wrong to go. In fact, I think attending could be a quiet way of signaling that Pakistan is open to normalcy, even when the broader relationship is stuck. But I also understand why the prime minister's office wants to weigh this carefully. One photo at an IPL game can generate a week's worth of headlines, and not all of them will be kind.
The Political Calculation
PM Shehbaz's decision will likely hinge on where things stand with India at the end of this month. If there's any backchannel movement — even a hint of it — sending Naqvi could be framed as confidence-building. If things are tense, it'll be seen as an unnecessary risk. And with the Asia Cup scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan later this year, there's a reciprocity angle too. If we want India to travel here, we have to show up there sometimes.
I don't envy Naqvi's position. He's a cricket administrator, but he's been handed a diplomatic puzzle. Whatever he does, someone will criticize him. If he goes, he's "normalizing relations." If he doesn't, he's "letting politics destroy cricket." There's no clean option.
What I'd Do
If it were purely about cricket, I'd say go. Attend the ICC meeting, speak up for Pakistan's interests, and politely decline the IPL invitation if the political temperature is too high. But it's never purely about cricket, and the people making the call know that better than anyone.
The real question isn't whether Naqvi travels to Ahmedabad. It's whether Pakistan can separate its cricket diplomacy from its political disputes long enough to protect its place in the game's power structures. So far, we haven't been great at that.
Do you think Mohsin Naqvi should travel to India for the ICC meeting, or is it politically too risky right now? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sayed Abdullah is the founder of Prime Pakistan. Based in Karachi, he provides honest analysis on politics, cricket, and technology for the common Pakistani. He believes in context over clickbait. Read more.
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Sources & External Links
- ICC — Official Board Meeting Announcements
- ESPNcricinfo — WTC Format Changes on Agenda
- Dawn — Pakistan Cricket News
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