A day before the much-awaited Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Asian Cricket Council, has sparked fresh controversy. His cryptic post on social media has fueled speculation and added to the already strained relations between the two cricketing nations.
On Friday, Naqvi shared a puzzling message: “How much time do you need to explain the reasons behind the balancing act?” This remark has prompted widespread discussion about its intended target and timing, given the ongoing tensions.
Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi
This social media activity comes amidst a backdrop of escalating disputes between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the PCB. Earlier in the week, India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, faced an International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing after Pakistan lodged a complaint regarding his comments. Yadav’s remarks had honored Indian armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s plea of not guilty, ICC match referee Richie Richardson determined that the statement violated the code of conduct, resulting in a 30 percent fine of the Indian skipper’s match fee.
In response, the BCCI filed its own complaint against Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for their provocative actions during an Asia Cup Super 4 match. Rauf was seen mimicking an aircraft crashing, while Farhan celebrated his fifty with a mock gun-firing gesture. Both actions drew significant criticism for overstepping acceptable on-field behavior.
Mohsin Naqvi’s social media post
The ICC has since penalized Rauf with a 30 percent match fee deduction, and Farhan received an official warning. However, in a surprising turn, Pakistani media outlets reported that Naqvi offered to personally cover Rauf’s fine, drawing even more attention to the contentious situation.
Further fanning the flames, Naqvi also shared a slow-motion video of football star Cristiano Ronaldo on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing him performing a crashing motion. The striking similarity between this clip and Rauf’s controversial gesture has led many to question whether the PCB chief was implicitly endorsing the player’s actions.
With both cricket boards exchanging complaints and players facing sanctions, the lead-up to the Asia Cup final has been overshadowed by these persistent off-field controversies. The ICC consistently upholds that political gestures have no place in cricket, but the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan continues to blur the lines of acceptable conduct.