Mohsin Naqvi names ‘hero’ behind two billion viewers for India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash: ‘When decision was 50-50…’

Mohsin Naqvi credited Sri Lanka's President for resolving Pakistan's indecision about playing India in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Updated on: Feb 17, 2026, 22:56:43 IST

Written by Probuddha Bhattacharjee

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Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has publicly credited Sri Lanka’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake for Pakistan’s late decision to go ahead with the India-Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup 2026.

Pakistan Cricket BoardChairman Mohsin Naqvi and President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake. (PTI)

In remarks made during a formal meeting in Colombo, Naqvi said Pakistan’s leadership had been split on whether to play, before a call from the Sri Lankan President helped settle the issue.

Decision was 50-50 until the Sri Lankan president intervened

Addressing Dissanayake directly, Naqvi opened by conveying greetings from Pakistan’s top leadership, “First of all, warm greetings from the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan… They specifically asked me to convey their greetings to you.”

He then framed the India-Pakistan match as a mass-audience event, and positioned the Sri Lankan President as the key reason it went ahead. “Actually, this yesterday match, you were the actual hero because 2 billion people were entertained because of you… So, it is only because of you that we played the match.”

Naqvi’s biggest line was the political subtext - that Pakistan had “issues” about playing India, until a call changed everything. “We were having several issues regarding playing with India… there was a decision of 50-50,” said Mohsin Naqvi.

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He then described the decision turning after the Sri Lankan president spoke to Pakistan’s Prime Minister. “But as soon as the Prime Minister received your call, he called me up and he said, there is no more issue… we have to play the match. That’s it,” he added.

Naqvi closed by explicitly thanking Dissanayake for what he called a “critical role” in ensuring the fixture went ahead. “So, it is because of just you that you managed and got this done… I am very thankful to you that you played a very critical role in this.”

The remarks come amid the wider off-field tension around the T20 World Cup 2026, where the India-Pakistan fixture has carried political pressure beyond cricket. Notably, Pakistan were humiliated on the field, as India defeated them by 61 runs to secure a spot in the Super 8s of the tournament.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Probuddha Bhattacharjee
Probuddha Bhattacharjee is a sports writer and analyst with expertise spanning cricket, football, and multi-sport events, with a strong emphasis on data-driven journalism and tactical storytelling. He currently focuses on international cricket, the Indian Premier League, global tournaments, and emerging trends shaping modern sport, blending advanced statistics with strong narrative context to explain performance, strategy, and decision-making. His work aims to bridge the gap between numbers and storytelling, helping readers understand not just what happened on the field, but the tactical and structural reasons behind it. Trained in data journalism through the Google News Initiative (GNI) Data Journalism Lab, Probuddha works extensively with ball-by-ball datasets, performance metrics, and trend-based modelling to produce evidence-backed reports, explainers, and long-form features. His analytical approach focuses not only on outcomes but also on process—selection strategies, phase-wise tactics, workload management, and the influence of preparation and planning on match results. He is particularly interested in how statistical patterns reshape conventional cricketing narratives and provide clearer tactical insight for modern audiences. Beyond cricket, Probuddha has written analytical and news-driven pieces on football and other major sporting events, with a growing interest in sports governance, scheduling dynamics, and the economics of elite competitions. He also tracks how rule changes, franchise structures, and broadcast pressures influence the evolution of contemporary sport. He has previously contributed to platforms such as OneCricket, Sportskeeda, and CrickTracker, and continues to specialise in analytical storytelling, live coverage, and audience-focused reporting. His work prioritises clarity, context, and credibility, while consistently exploring innovative ways to present data through accessible narratives and structured match analysis.Read More

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