Naqvi hardens PCB’s position on India relations
As anticipation builds for another high-stakes India vs Pakistan showdown at the Asia Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has drawn a bold line on the future of cricketing ties. Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Naqvi ruled out any notion of pleading with India to resume bilateral series.
“I think we are very clear that whenever talks are held, it will be on an equal footing with India, and there will be no more begging for negotiations. That time has passed, and whatever will happen will be on the basis of equality,” Naqvi stated during a press conference in Lahore.
The remark underscores a hardened stance from the PCB, particularly at a moment when India and Pakistan are set to meet again on neutral territory.
Bilateral cricket remains frozen
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012, with diplomatic and political tensions halting any progress. The Indian government has consistently reaffirmed that bilateral cricket with Pakistan is off the table, though both nations will continue to face off in ICC and ACC events.
Earlier this year, both boards agreed to a framework that ensures all encounters will be staged at neutral venues through at least 2027. That arrangement allowed India to avoid traveling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy while preserving Pakistan’s right to host future ICC tournaments.
India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025
The Asia Cup begins on September 9 in Dubai, with India and Pakistan set to meet in a blockbuster group-stage clash on September 14. Depending on results, the arch-rivals could face off twice more — in the Super Four stage and potentially in the final on September 28.
The clash will be India’s first against Pakistan since Operation Sindoor, which heightened political sensitivities between the two nations. Both squads have already been named, with Pakistan making the bold decision to drop former captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.
Multi-nation tournaments as the only pathway
Naqvi’s remarks reinforce that, at least for now, cricket between the two nations will remain confined to multi-team tournaments. With the Women’s ODI World Cup in October also set to feature an India-Pakistan clash in Colombo, the rivalry remains alive on the global stage — but strictly within international frameworks.
Equality as the new baseline
By declaring there will be “no more begging,” Naqvi has shifted the rhetoric around Indo-Pak cricket. The PCB chief is clear: any negotiations will only proceed when both boards are treated as equals.
For now, that stance sets the tone heading into a high-stakes Asia Cup campaign — where cricket’s most watched rivalry once again unfolds, but against the backdrop of politics that keep bilateral ties on ice.
