Mohsin Naqvi thanks Sri Lanka for saving IND vs PAK clash, leaves Bangladesh embarrassed: 'You were the real hero'

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has given full credit to Sri Lanka for making sure the high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 went ahead as scheduled. Naqvi said that without the timely intervention of Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the much-awaited match on February 15 might not have taken place.

Pakistan had earlier threatened to boycott their match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the tournament after refusing to play games in India. Pakistan had raised concerns over what they called the ICC’s double standards and had initially supported Bangladesh’s stance. However, after several meetings between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the situation changed.

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Naqvi praises Dissanayake’s role

Speaking about the developments at the meeting, Mohsin Naqvi revealed that it was a phone call from President Dissanayake to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that turned everything around.

“You were the actual hero because of you 2 billion people were entertained. It’s only because of you we played the match. As soon as the Prime Minister received the call, he called me up and said there is no more issue and the President has called me and we have to play the match,” Naqvi said while thanking the Sri Lankan President.

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According to reports, Dissanayake was concerned about the financial losses if the India vs Pakistan game was cancelled. The match eventually took place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the Sri Lankan President himself attending the game and sitting alongside Naqvi in the stands.

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Naqvi’s interaction with Dissanayake sidelines Bangladesh attempts to make Pakistan withdraw the boycott of the India match. Before Pakistan announced withdrawal of the boycott, the Bangladesh Cricket Board released a statement asking them to do so. BCB president Aminul Islam praised Pakistan for its solidarity and sportsmanship and urged them to take the field against India in the larger interest of cricket ecosystem.

A day after the match, Naqvi met President Dissanayake in Colombo and personally thanked him for his “timely intervention.” In a social media post, Dissanayake confirmed the meeting and said that the visiting Pakistan delegation conveyed special thanks from Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister for Sri Lanka’s role when Pakistan’s participation in the tournament was uncertain.

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Met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain today. We reaffirmed our enduring friendship, appreciated Pakistan’s support to Sri Lanka during difficult times. The visiting Pakistan delegation conveyed special thanks from… pic.twitter.com/v2wcIvlzJZ

— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) February 16, 2026

Despite all the drama before the game, the match went ahead smoothly. India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in a dominant performance and became the first team to qualify for the Super Eights.