Mohsin Naqvi hogs limelight again, gives pep talk to under-fire Pakistan ahead of South Africa Tests

Pakistan aims for a fresh start in the upcoming Test series against defending champions South Africa. PCB chairman Naqvi expressed full support for the squad.

Since the Asia Cup presentation ceremony fiasco, Mohsin Naqvi has been the talk of the town and the centre of almost all cricketing discussions. The PCB chairman recently made the rounds at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, two days before Pakistan starts the WTC 2025-27 campaign against South Africa.

Mohsin Naqvi stands with officials on the field after India won the Asia Cup cricket final against Pakistan. (AP)

Accompanied by the Director of High-performance Centre Aqib Javed, Naqvi met the captain Shan Masood and the rest of the squad during their training session. He was also seen greeting spinner Abrar Ahmed, who recently got married in Karachi, as well as the members of the South Africa team management.

Showing support before the start of an important campaign

The timing of this visit matters a lot. Pakistan finished at the bottom of the previous WTC cycle with just five wins from 14 matches and a PCT of 27.98. The team has also recently suffered a loss against their arch-rivals, India, in the final of the Asia Cup 2025. Notably, Pakistan lost all three games against India in the tournament.

For a side that is returning to Test cricket after they ended on the wrong end of a 120-run defeat in January against West Indies in Multan, the upcoming series represents a fresh start in the format.

South Africa arrive in Pakistan as the defending champions. The Proteas secured the top spot in the previous cycle with a PCT of 69.44 and then overhauled Australia to lift the Test mace. They now begin their defense on subcontinental pitches where spin traditionally decides the fate of a game. The contrast between the two parties could not be sharper: Pakistan trying to rebuild from the bottom, South Africa in quest of a defense from the top.

The assignment ahead and Naqvi’s message

Naqvi’s brief exchange with the team has a larger subtext. During the meeting, plans and strategies for South Africa were discussed. Naqvi conveyed to Masood and Azhar Mahmood that they would have full operational autonomy regarding the Test team. “My full support is with you for the Test series against South Africa,” Naqvi told the leadership group, emphasizing the administration’s confidence in the team.

For a team that lost nine of 14 matches in the last cycle, visibility from leadership isn’t just a ceremony. It is a statement that this iteration, this campaign, will be different. Whether the confidence of the board and the pep talk by Naqvi translates into results depends on what happens after the first ball is bowled on Sunday. But two days out, the message from the PCB is clear: they are backing the current squad to turn the tables around this time.