The name Mohsin Naqvi continues to dominate headlines, especially in the wake of the dramatic Asia Cup 2025 final. The ‘Mohsin Naqvi vs India’ narrative has been a persistent topic since the Indian team famously declined to receive the trophy from him, given his dual role as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and President of the Asian Cricket Council.
Not long after this controversy, Naqvi reappeared in the public eye, this time in Lahore. He visited Gaddafi Stadium to extend his congratulations to the Pakistan cricket team on their T20I series win against South Africa. Pakistan secured a 2-1 victory in the three-match series, culminating in a thrilling four-wicket win in the final game on Sunday.
During his visit, Naqvi met the triumphant players in their dressing room. As the team lined up to greet him, a particularly striking moment occurred when it was Babar Azam’s turn. The PCB chief offered a warm smile and held the star batsman in a long, heartfelt hug, an embrace that quickly garnered significant attention from both fans and media.
On the cricketing front, Pakistan’s success was largely propelled by exceptional performances from Shaheen Shah Afridi and captain Babar Azam. Shaheen’s formidable bowling spell, yielding 3 wickets for just 26 runs, was instrumental in restricting South Africa to a total of 139 for 9. Babar Azam then expertly anchored the chase, crafting a fluent 68 runs off 47 balls, featuring nine boundaries, guiding Pakistan to victory within 19 overs.
This series win came after South Africa’s initial 55-run triumph in Rawalpindi, to which Pakistan responded with a commanding nine-wicket victory in the second match held in Lahore. The final game saw a capacity crowd of 32,000 spectators erupt in cheers as Babar reached his 37th T20I fifty – his first in 13 innings – by smashing three consecutive fours off Ottniel Baartman.
Despite a brief moment of anxiety following Babar’s dismissal, Pakistan successfully crossed the finish line with Usman Khan’s decisive single, sealing the series and igniting widespread celebrations once more across Lahore.