Legendary captain Shahid Afridi has urged Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi to retire, stating that cricket administration deserves full-time attention, which Naqvi cannot deliver while also acting as the country’s Interior Minister. Afridi made these remarks following the completion of the contentious Asia Cup.
Since becoming chairman of the PCB in 2024, Naqvi has held a number of high-profile jobs. In addition to leading the PCB, he is the Interior Minister and was recently nominated President of the Asian Cricket Council. Afridi has expressed anxiety about his hectic schedule. Notably, following the 2025 Champions Trophy, the former all-rounder had already encouraged Naqvi to consider the PCB chairmanship a full-time position. He also discussed Naqvi’s lack of cricket understanding and his dependency on consultants.
“My request or advice to Naqvi Saheb is that these are two very important posts, and they are big jobs that need time. “PCB is totally different from the Interior Ministry, so it must be kept separate. It would be a big decision and should be taken as soon as possible. Pakistan cricket needs special attention and time Naqvi cannot rely totally on advisers. These advisers are taking him nowhere and he himself says that he doesn’t know much about cricket. He needs to appoint good and competent advisers who know about the game,” Afridi was quoted as saying by Telecom Asia Sport.
Mohsin Naqvi asks Suryakumar Yadav to collect Asia Cup trophy in person
Naqvi’s leadership during the Asia Cup invited widespread criticism. He was accused of creating unnecessary drama after India refused to shake hands with Pakistani players, even threatening to boycott the tournament. A subsequent match against the UAE was delayed due to the fallout from this standoff.
The controversy peaked during the final. When India clinched the title, Naqvi, in his role as ACC president, refused to present the trophy after Indian players declined to accept it from him. Instead, an ACC official removed the trophy and medals from the podium. Reports later claimed Naqvi insisted Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav collect the trophy from the ACC headquarters in Dubai.
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