PCB Chairman Archives

Mohsin Naqvi assures full support for Pakistan hockey team’s Pro League participation

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday met national hockey team captain Ammad Butt and assured full support for the national side’s participation in the upcoming FIH Pro League.

During the meeting, Butt highlighted the key challenges surrounding the revival of hockey in the country and briefed Naqvi on the team’s preparations for the league. Discussions also touched upon player welfare and rehabilitation.

Mohsin Naqvi termed Pakistan’s qualification for the Pro Hockey League an honour and stressed that he would take a proactive role in facilitating the team’s participation.

He also announced a reward of PKR one million for each player and guaranteed swift resolution of any visa-related issues.

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Meanwhile, the PCB’s medical team has been tasked with handling players’ fitness and injury concerns, while its logistics team will provide complete operational support.

On the occasion, Ammad Butt also congratulated Mohsin Naqvi on receiving the prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz award.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Bugti had earlier disclosed that the federation had sought an extension from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to confirm the national team’s participation in the Pro League.

It is worth mentioning that last month, the FIH formally invited Pakistan to feature in the Pro League after New Zealand, despite winning the Nations Cup, pulled out of the competition.

READ: Suryakumar Yadav clears fitness test ahead of Asia Cup 2025: reports

PCB chairman reaches National Bank Stadium for Champions Trophy opener

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has arrived at the National Bank Stadium here on Wednesday ahead of the much-anticipated opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Mohsin Naqvi, entrusted with overseeing the final arrangements, expressed his satisfaction as preparations reached their pinnacle ahead of the highly anticipated opening match between Pakistan and New Zealand.

With great enthusiasm, he is set to extend a warm welcome to President Asif Ali Zardari, who will grace the occasion as the chief guest for the grand opening ceremony at the National Bank Stadium.

This event marks a significant moment, as Pakistan proudly hosts an ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years.

The presence of the chairman highlights the PCB’s unwavering commitment to ensuring a seamless and impeccably organized tournament that promises to deliver thrilling cricket to fans and participants alike.

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For the unversed, the defending champions and hosts Pakistan will begin their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a game against New Zealand on February 19.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan and New Zealand have competed in a total of 118 ODI matches. Pakistan leads the head-to-head record with 61 victories, while New Zealand has won 53 matches. Additionally, three matches have ended without a result, and one match ended in a tie.

However, New Zealand have the edge in the Champions Trophy as they boats an undefeated record against Pakistan.

They will then travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the much-awaited clash against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. Pakistan will then return home to face Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.

Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: Skipper Rizwan urges Pakistan to enjoy Champions Trophy 2025

PCB chairman reviews final arrangements for Gaddafi Stadium’s grand opening

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi inspected the arrangements for the grand opening ceremony and directed officials to ensure a spectacular event befitting the newly revamped Gaddafi Stadium here on Friday.

He returned to the country early in the morning and, without taking a break, headed straight to Gaddafi Stadium to oversee the preparation for the opening ceremony.

“This event should reflect the grandeur of the new Gaddafi Stadium,” Naqvi emphasized.

He credited the entire team for completing the stadium’s reconstruction in record time, calling it a proud moment for Pakistan.

“The newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium stands as one of the most beautiful and world-class cricket venues, completed in record time,” he stated. “I am thankful to Allah for fulfilling the promise made to the nation.”

Mohsin Naqvi assured that both cricket fans and players would enjoy the state-of-the-art facilities provided in the stadium.

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He also extended his heartfelt appreciation to the workers, FWO, NESPAK, contractors, and PCB officials for their dedication and efforts in bringing this vision to life.

The cricket board revealed on Thursday that the opening ceremony will take place on 7 February ahead of the first match at the newly renovated venue.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to welcome cricket fans with a spectacular opening ceremony on 7 February, ahead of the Pakistan versus New Zealand match on 8 February,” the PCB stated in a press release.

“Fans can look forward to a series of colourful events, including live singing, stunning fireworks and a unique light show.

“Renowned singers Ali Zafar, Arif Lohar and Aima Baig will grace the stage with electrifying performances, followed by a dazzling drum and firework display.

“The opening ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, will be free for the public from 5.30 pm, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.”

READ: PCB provides an update on Saim Ayub’s injury

Champions Trophy: PCB chairman responds to India’s refusal to visit Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Friday responded to the reports of India refusing to visit Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in the February- March window in 2025, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

Furthermore, reports emerged in Indian media, citing a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), that Team India will not be visiting Pakistan for the Champions Trophy citing security concerns.

The reports also suggest that the BCCI has expressed their desire to move their matches to Dubai.

Meanwhile, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, in an interaction with the media, revealed that the cricket board has not received any official confirmation from the BCCI about not visiting Pakistan for the global eight-team tournament.

“Although there’s a lot of talk [in media] that India may not come, we have received no official statement [from the BCCI],” said Naqvi.

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“Our stance is that India should give us a written confirmation if they are not coming for the Champions Trophy.”

Mohsin Naqvi reiterated that the PCB is not considering a hybrid model and is determined to host the Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.

“We maintain that the Champions Trophy will only be hosted in Pakistan, and there’s been no discussion of a hybrid model,” he added.

“We will provide all necessary facilities to all visiting teams, and we hope international fans will come here to watch the matches.”

For the unversed, India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.

READ: India not to travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: reports

PCB chief comments on Pakistan’s performance in first Australia ODI

Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Monday commended the team’s performance during the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia.

Pakistan’s batting line-up was folded for a meagre 203 runs after being invited to bat first at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). However, the bowlers kept Pakistan in the match as they fought hard to defend the paltry total.

The hosts slipped from 113-2 to 155-7, courtesy of brilliant pace bowling by Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

But Australian captain Pat Cummins held on to his nerves and steered his side to a thrilling two-wicket victory with an unbeaten 32-run knock.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi praised the Pakistani players for their gutsy performance despite the defeat.

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He took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and commended the performance while expressing hope that the team would make a resounding comeback in the series.

“Well done Pakistan Team for fighting a tough match against Australia! You boys gave it your all and fought in the best possible way. It’s only the first match, and we’re confident you’ll make us proud. Keep pushing,” Naqvi posted.

It’s worth noting that the second match of the series will be played on 8 November in Adelaide, while Perth will host the third ODI on 10 November.

The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20I series, scheduled to commence on November 14.

Brisbane will host the first T20I, with the next matches scheduled for November 16 and 18 in Sydney and Hobart, respectively.

READ: PCB Chairman expresses satisfaction with Gaddafi Stadium upgradation

PCB chief inspects Champions Trophy arrangements at Karachi’s National Stadium

KARACHI: Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket (PCB), visited the National Bank Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday to inspect the ongoing construction work ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

But Mohsin Naqvi remained and reiterated that all eight teams will visit Pakistan to participate in the ICC event.

During his visit to the stadium, Naqvi thoroughly reviewed the ongoing upgradation work. He emphasized the importance of enhancing the fan experience by directing the team to relocate the electronic score screen to a more suitable position.

This adjustment aims to ensure that the screen does not obstruct the view of the spectators, allowing everyone to enjoy the game without impediments.

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“We want fans to have an uninterrupted view of the matches, so adjusting the screen placement is a priority,” said the PCB chairman.

Furthermore, he instructed that the parking area be relocated to a spot nearer to the stadium, enhancing accessibility and ensuring greater convenience for fans attending the events.

The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) briefed the chairman about the progress of the renovations at the National Stadium. Adviser Aamir Mir and National Stadium Manager Arshad Khan were also present on the occasion.

Naqvi instructed the FWO Official to complete the stadium upgradation in time for the Champions Trophy.

“The upgradation project should be accelerated with day and night efforts for the tournament,” he stated.

READ: “Selection committee to decide Fakhar Zaman’s future,” says Mohsin Naqvi

PCB chief Naqvi explains Fakhar Zaman’s exclusion from central contract, white-ball squad

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has explained the reason behind the exclusion of opening batter Fakhar Zaman from the central contracts as well as white-ball squads for the tour of Australia and Zimbabwe.

Earlier today, the cricket board announced the central contracts for the 2024-25 international season, along with the squads for the tours to Australia and Zimbabwe.

The Australia tour will run from 4-18 November, while the matches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, will be played from 24 November to 5 December.

However, Fakhar Zaman’s name was missing from the central contract list and squads for the upcoming tours.

During a press conference in Lahore, a journalist asked the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, if Fakhar was left out due to his social media post defending Babar Azam.

In response, Naqvi acknowledged the controversy surrounding Fakhar’s social media post, which has been deemed a violation of the central contract.

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However, he emphasized that the primary factor leading to Fakhar’s exclusion was due to concerns over the batter’s fitness.

“There is the tweet issue definitely. But that doesn’t matter as much as his fitness tests. He had two issues: the fitness test and the show-cause notice, which is still pending. That is why he hasn’t been included (in the central contracts list),” Naqvi said.

“If a player is dropped by the selection committee, another player starts tweeting against it. This isn’t allowed and will not be permitted. However, the bigger issue is his fitness test.”

For the unversed, earlier this month Fakhar Zaman expressed his disappointment through a social media post over the selection committee’s decision to drop star batter Babar Azam after the first Test against England.

Consequently, the PCB issued a show-cause notice to the left-hander over breaching the Code of Conduct.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan opens up after his appointment as white-ball captain

PCB Chairman ‘confident’ about India’s participation in Champions Trophy

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has reiterated his belief that India will visit Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from February to March, however, India’s participation in the tournament is uncertain as the BCCI seeks the government’s approval to visit the country.

However, Mohsin Naqvi, in an interaction with the media in Lahore, expressed confidence that all the teams, including India, will visit Pakistan for the eight-team tournament.

“I have full confidence in the Indian team… So far, there is nothing that would cause them to postpone or cancel. Therefore, all teams will come.”

“The Indian team should come. I don’t see them cancel or postpone coming here and we are confident we will host all the teams in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan,” he said.

He also shared his satisfaction with the ongoing upgradation of the stadiums, that will be hosting the Champions Trophy.

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“The stadiums will also be ready to host the matches on schedule and any remaining work would be completed after the tournament. In a way, you can say that we are going to have a brand new stadium,” he added.

It’s worth noting that Rajeev Shukla, the vice-president of the Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI), has recently shared that the cricket board is awaiting the government’s approval. As of now, no decision has been made regarding the tour of Pakistan.

“No decision has been taken (yet). However, our policy is that for international tours, we always seek permission from the government,” Shukla clarified.

“It’s up to the government to decide whether our team should go to any country or our team should not go to any country,” the BCCI VP added. “In this case (also), whatever the government will decide, we will abide by that.”

It is worth noting that India has not travelled to Pakistan since the Asia Cup in 2008 due to the long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

In contrast, Pakistan has made four trips to India in the last 16 years. Their most recent visit was last year for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023.

READ: Mohammad Haris to lead Pakistan Shaheens in ACC Emerging Asia Cup

Mohsin Naqvi chairs 74th PCB BoG meeting in Faisalabad

FAISALABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi presided over the 74th meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) here on Thursday.

The BoG was briefed on the Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup, which commenced at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday afternoon with the opening match between UMT Markhors and Lake City Panthers.

The BoG appreciated the efforts of Mr Mohsin Naqvi in attracting and convincing leading and highly reputed organisations to partner with the tournament, in which the country’s best cricketers are participating.

The BoG also proposed that the Champions Cup, which includes events in the T20 and four-day formats, be incorporated into the PCB Constitution 2014 so that it becomes an annual feature.

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This will bring continuity, consistency and clarity to Pakistan’s domestic cricket pathway structure.

The BoG suggested that after witnessing the overwhelming response of the Faisalabad crowd, the PCB should take complete control of Iqbal Stadium and upgrade it to international standards, enabling the venue to be revived and host bilateral international series once again.

An update was provided to the BoG on the infrastructure projects’ progress with respect to the design and scope of work.

Members expressed their complete support and satisfaction with the projects, stating this was the need of the hour and that once the projects are completed, they will contribute to enhancing the image and profile of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket.

READ: Pakistan’s Awais Munir, Asjad Iqbal to participate in Mongolia World Cup

Zaka Ashraf refutes rumors of rift between Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has refuted the rumours of a rift between white-ball captain Babar Azam and left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.

The rumours of tension between the star players have been circulating in the media since Shaheen replaced Babar as the captain of the T20I team in the aftermath of a disastrous ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.

However, Zaka Ashraf, who was serving as the chairman of the PCB Management Committee, at that time dispelled the rumours of rift and claimed that the team unity actually improved after Shaheen’s appointment.

“No, the unity didn’t end [after removing Babar Azam as captain]. In fact, the unity improved. When we told him to play as a player, which is his talent, but as a captain, his performance is not good, he agreed,” he stated during an interview at a local news channel.

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Zaka Ashraf also defended his decision to appoint Shan Masood as the captain of the Test team and Mohammad Hafeez as the team director, while denying rumours of grouping in the team.

“No, there was no grouping. The team was good. And we brought Shan Masood as the captain. He was a very good captain. He is still a very good player,” he added

“And our management, along with the team, Mohammad Hafeez, an excellent cricketer, a very honest person, we brought him along. Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, and these players, we brought them along so that the coaching staff is with the team.”

For the unversed, Shaheen Afridi was removed as captain after one series and Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2023, where Pakistan crashed out in the first round.

READ: Jason Gillespie to depart for Australia after Pakistan-Bangladesh series