After Pakistan reversed its T20 WC 2026 boycott vs India, a reporter praised PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi for “bringing ICC to its knees.” A man beside him laughed, sparking viral mockery online and highlighting the gap between media hype and reality.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi was praised during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 Auction for allegedly outsmarting the ICC in the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup controversy. On Tuesday, the Government of Pakistan officially announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Men in Blue to take the field against Team India in the February 15 clash at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Pakistan’s ‘U-turn’ on the boycott of the India clash came after Mohsin Naqvi met with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman, Animul Islam, and Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja-led ICC delegation at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore before Naqvi met with Sharif to brief him about the outcome of the talks with BCB and ICC.
The pressure from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), who urged PCB to reconsider its stance on the Team India clash while warning of significant financial, logistical, and reputational consequences if the marquee fixture did not go ahead, eventually contributed to Pakistan reversing its boycott and confirming participation.
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Naqvi Praised, But the Man Beside Him Laughs
During the Pakistan Super League Auction, which took place before the backtracking of the boycott call against Team India at the T20 World Cup 2026, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was praised by a reporter for allegedly “bringing the ICC to its knees.”
In a video that went viral on social media, a reporter was heard asking, “You have brought the ICC to its knees, sir. Could you please give us some updates on this?”
However, the man who was sitting right beside Naqvi was seen controlling his laughter over the reporter’s exaggerated praise, making the moment go viral.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was earlier threatened to withdraw from the T20 World Cup 2026 as an act of solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the tournament after their refusal to play matches in India. Thereafter, the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan Government has allowed the Salman Ali Agha-led side to participate in the marquee event, but made clear not taking field against Team India.
However, after behind-the-scenes talks with the ICC, Sri Lanka Cricket, and other member boards, Pakistan finally agreed to play against Team India, ending weeks of uncertainty and speculation ahead of the February 15 clash.
‘When The Room Laughs, The Answer is Already Clear’
The video of a reporter lavishly praising PCB Mohsin Naqvi and the man beside him hiding his laughter during the PSL Auction quickly went viral on social media, with many viewers amused by the candid reaction.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts reacted with sarcasm and humour, joking about the exaggerated praise, the man beside Naqvi struggling to contain his laughter, noting that the reaction perfectly summed up the difference between the claims and reality about Pakistan’s boycott drama.
The humorous reactions from the netizens on X ranged from sarcastic jokes to memes, poking fun at the praise and the man beside Naqvi struggling to contain his laughter.
The praise by a reporter toward PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has eventually backfired on Pakistan as the Men in Green will play Team in the marquee fixture of the T20 World Cup 2026 after weeks of uncertainty and drama, exposing the gaps between media claiming ‘victory’ and the actual outcome of the negotiations between PCB, ICC, and other members of the board.
