Mohsin Naqvi denies pushing for India bilateral talks: ‘Govt made boycott U-turn when ICC accepted Bangladesh injustice’

Mohsin Naqvi categorically denied all claims, stating that discussions during the meeting revolved solely around Bangladesh

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday clarified that no personal demands were pushed for during the meeting with the ICC delegation in Lahore on Sunday, insisting that the sole objective was to “get respect for Bangladesh.” His remarks came amid speculations that Pakistan had sought the resumption of bilateral cricket ties with India, including fixtures within the World Test Championship cycle.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi addressed the media in Peshawar on Tuesday (AFP)

Naqvi made the comments while speaking to the media in Peshawar, a day after the Pakistan government reversed its decision to withdraw from the T20 World Cup Group A match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.

In the build-up to the late Monday announcement, reports had suggested that Pakistan had placed certain conditions before the ICC to withdraw its boycott threat, one of which was believed to be a demand for the resumption of bilateral series against India for the first time since the 2012–13 season.

“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 said. “And you saw that whatever demands Bangladesh made were accepted. That’s it.”

He further added that the government’s decision to reverse the boycott threat came only after the ICC acknowledged its handling of Bangladesh’s situation.

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

In its lone press release issued on Monday, minutes before Pakistan confirmed its participation, the ICC described Bangladesh’s absence from the World Cup as “unfortunate” and assured that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would face no sanctions. The governing body also confirmed that Bangladesh would be awarded hosting rights for an ICC event during the 2028–31 cycle, preferably the men’s Under-19 World Cup.

While the ICC’s statement made no reference to any demands from the PCB, a PTI report on Tuesday claimed that the apex body had offered Pakistan a few “concessions” to secure the reversal of the boycott threat. The details of those concessions, the report added, will be made public after the conclusion of the World Cup.