Pakistan’s defeat to India puts Mohsin Naqvi under pressure; Asim Munir reaches out to PM Shehbaz: Report

Top officials in Pakistan are unhappy with the national team’s performance against India in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The Group A match took place at R Premadasa Stadium, where Pakistan lost by 61 runs. According to some reports, Field Marshal Asim Munir was angry and disappointed with the result. India, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, won easily and moved into the Super 8 stage. Before the match, many fans believed Pakistan had a good chance to win, however, the match showed a clear difference in quality between the two sides.

A report by News18 said that Pakistan’s military leaders saw the loss as more serious than just a sports defeat, they felt the team was not fully ready for such an important game. Munir reportedly shared his concerns with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif through official communication and said to have criticised the way the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handled team planning and public statements.

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Because of this, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is facing pressure and some people in the government believe he might be replaced to reduce tensions.

Earlier, Pakistan had announced it would not play the match against India. However, the decision was changed about eight days later after the International Cricket Council confirmed that Bangladesh would not be punished for missing the tournament and not travelling to India.

During the disagreement between the ICC and the PCB, Naqvi gave a strong reply when asked about possible action against Pakistan. He mentioned Munir in his statement, saying that neither he nor the government were afraid of any pressure. According to the News18 report, this public mention of the army chief was made without approval and upset officials in Rawalpindi. Munir was reportedly not happy about being connected to a cricket issue.

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