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Muhammad Naeem Khan Niazi
LAHORE, Dec 28 (APP): Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has said the Board is in the process of filing an official complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against the unsportsmanlike conduct of the Indian cricket team during the recently concluded Asia U19 tournament.
Addressing a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Sunday, he said if the Indian U19 team did not shake hands with the Pakistan team, the gesture will be reciprocated, adding that the conduct of the Indian teams was against the spirit of the gentleman’s sport.
Pakistan beat Indian U19 team in the final of the Asia Cup but Indian team’s conduct was controversial. It all started when the Indian Men’s cricket team refused to shake hands with the Men in Green during the Asia Cup 2025 referring to the estranged political relations between the two governments in the wake of alleged Pehlgam attack in Indian-held Kashmir and downing of Indian warplanes by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in April and May this year.
“PCB wishes to keep cricket and politics apart under the instructions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” he said, adding that all sporting relations with India will be on equal footing. He said Indian cricketers will be paid in the same coin in future and all matters will be dealt with as per the rules.
Praising performance of the Pakistan youth teams, Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan Shaheens and U19 teams have recently done well, adding that the PCB wishes to nurture young talent so that strong player replacements are available. He said U19 cricketers will be groomed in such a manner to harness their talents while PCB has started school cricket so that the raw talent could be discovered at an early stage. He said cricket clubs are being scrutinized through a renowned international audit firm KPMG. Naqvi also claimed to start work on Asia’s best cricket academy at the NCA.
On PSL 11, PCB Chairman said former fast-bowling great Wasim Akram has been appointed brand ambassador of PSL 11 and he will lead the auction of the two new franchises at the Convention Center, Islamabad on January 8. He said 10 bidders have qualified for the auction process, expressing the hope that the interest shown by different groups during the roadshows in London and New York will reflect at the auction.
On Multan Sultans, Naqvi said former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen was eligible to bid for a new franchise at the January 8 auction, adding the matters of Multan Sultans ownership were done and dusted. He said PCB will run the Multan Sultans franchise for a year during the PSL 11 through his nominee, a cricketer to be announced shortly. “The PEPRA rules stopped PCB from auctioning Multan Sultans this year but the process has been started and the franchise will get a new owner in PSL 12,” Naqvi responded.
Naqvi floated the idea of starting PSL 11 on March 23 instead of the already announced day of March 26, adding that the start of the premier franchise league on March 23 will add to the celebrations of Pakistan Day – the historic day when Lahore Resolution was adopted for a separate homeland in 1940 which marked the creation of Pakistan. “However, the decision to start PSL 11 on March 23 is pending consultations with all franchise owners,” he responded.
Mohsin Naqvi also announced the appointment of renowned UK-based physiotherapist Javed Mughal on the PCB panel for the immediate treatment of Pakistani players’ injuries. He will join PCB on January 11. He said careers of different injured players were put at risk due to negligence or lack of medical resources in the past, adding the appointment of a professional will save careers of many cricketers in future.
PCB Chairman said that there has been no change and Australian Men’s tea scheduled to play three T20Is against Pakistan in January-February 2026.