THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi is playing a dangerous game with international cricket. He is actively encouraging Bangladesh to refuse to play in India during the upcoming T20 World Cup. While he claims to support Bangladesh’s security concerns, the reality is much simpler: Naqvi wants revenge against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after being humiliated during the Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup Humiliation
The roots of this crisis go back to September 2024. India won the Asia Cup by beating Pakistan in the final in Dubai. But what should have been a normal trophy presentation turned into an embarrassing mess. India refused to accept the trophy because it was being presented by Mohsin Naqvi, who is both the PCB chairman and Pakistan’s Interior Minister.
The Indian team was so determined not to receive the trophy from Naqvi that they held up an imaginary trophy during their celebrations. There was no actual trophy on the podium. It was an unprecedented snub in cricket history.
Naqvi was furious. Even months later, he still has not handed over the trophy to India. He insists that India must send their captain to Dubai to collect it from him personally. The Asia Cup trophy remains locked in an office in Dubai to this day, held hostage by a man nursing a grudge.
Using Bangladesh as a Weapon
Now Naqvi sees an opportunity for payback. When Bangladesh announced they would not travel to India for the T20 World Cup due to security concerns, Naqvi immediately jumped in to support them. But this support is not about genuine concern for Bangladesh’s safety. It is about settling scores with India.
Naqvi has offered to host Bangladesh’s World Cup matches in Pakistan. He has publicly backed Bangladesh’s stance and urged them to stand firm against ICC pressure. Pakistan has even threatened to withdraw from the tournament if Bangladesh is treated “unfairly” by being replaced with Scotland.
The timing is revealing. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh only improved recently, after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India. Naqvi is taking advantage of Bangladesh’s anger at India to create a united front against the BCCI.
The Real Motive
Naqvi’s actions make sense only when you understand his personal vendetta. Throughout the Asia Cup, he posted anti-India messages on social media. When India’s Prime Minister celebrated the victory, Naqvi responded by boasting about Pakistan’s past wins over India. His behaviour was petty and political from the start.
Now he is using his dual role as PCB chairman and government minister to transform a Bangladesh-India issue into a South Asian coalition against Indian cricket. He wants to disrupt India’s hosting of the World Cup. He wants to embarrass the BCCI on the global stage. He wants revenge for the trophy incident that made him look powerless.
Bangladesh may have legitimate concerns about traveling to India. But Naqvi does not care about those concerns. He is simply using Bangladesh as a tool to fight his own battles. He is encouraging them to take the toughest possible stance because it hurts India, not because it helps Bangladesh.
The Damage to Cricket
Naqvi’s grudge-driven politics threatens to destroy an entire World Cup. If both Pakistan and Bangladesh withdraw, the tournament faces an unprecedented crisis. Scotland and another team would need to replace two Full Member nations. The credibility of international cricket would be severely damaged.
All of this because one man cannot let go of a trophy presentation that embarrassed him. Mohsin Naqvi is putting his personal pride above the sport. He is manipulating Bangladesh, threatening the ICC, and risking cricket’s reputation to settle a score that should have ended months ago.
The Asia Cup trophy sits in a locked office in Dubai. And international cricket is being held hostage right alongside it.
References
1.https://www.awazthevoice.in/sports-news/icc-gives-ultimatum-to-bcb-over-india-t-wc-visit-48878.html
2.https://www.newswire.lk/2026/01/19/bangladesh-face-t20-world-cup-exit-as-icc-issues-final-ultimatum/
3.https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/t20-world-cup-2026-bangladesh-s-participation-to-be-finalised-by-january-21-1520069
