LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has declined an invitation to travel to Ahmedabad, India, for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual board meeting and will instead participate in the crucial gathering virtually, according to informed sources.
Naqvi, who was invited a month ago to attend the meeting in person, has opted against travelling to India and will join the May 31 session through video conferencing facilities, a provision permitted under ICC regulations for board members unable to attend physically.
The decision makes Naqvi the only major ICC board member expected to be absent from the meeting venue, where representatives from cricket’s governing bodies are scheduled to convene for discussions on a range of administrative and governance matters affecting the international game.
The annual ICC board meeting was originally planned to be held in Doha, Qatar. However, organisers shifted the venue to Ahmedabad following heightened geopolitical instability in the Middle East amid escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Ahmedabad’s selection as the replacement venue coincides with one of the biggest events on the cricket calendar, the IPL 2026 final, scheduled to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans on the same day as the board meeting.
Most ICC delegates are expected to attend the championship match following the conclusion of official proceedings, further highlighting Naqvi’s absence from the gathering.
Naqvi’s decision not to travel comes against the backdrop of continuing strains in cricketing relations between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Relations between the two cricket administrations have remained tense in recent years, reflecting broader political challenges between the neighbouring countries. The situation has been further complicated by a series of controversies during multinational tournaments.
According to reports, tensions resurfaced during recent events, including the Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, where Indian and Pakistani players were involved in several uncomfortable moments, including allegations that Indian players declined customary post-match handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts. Naqvi himself has been at the centre of cricketing diplomacy controversies. In September 2025, while serving as President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), he reportedly declined to physically present the Asia Cup trophy to the Indian team following their tournament victory, a move that generated significant discussion across the cricketing fraternity.
The matter carries added significance because Naqvi currently occupies multiple influential positions. Alongside his responsibilities as PCB chairman, he serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and holds the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council.
His absence from the Ahmedabad meeting is therefore likely to attract attention beyond cricket administration circles, particularly given the longstanding sensitivities surrounding sporting engagement between Pakistan and India.
Despite his physical absence, Naqvi is expected to participate fully in board deliberations through virtual means.
The ICC board is scheduled to discuss several important governance and playing-condition proposals aimed at modernising the sport. Among the issues expected to come under consideration are experimental changes to Test cricket regulations, including the possible use of both red and pink balls within the same Test match.
Board members are also expected to deliberate on proposals that would allow on-field umpires direct access to Hawk-Eye technology, potentially reducing reliance on third-party television officials and streamlining the decision-review process.
