KARACHI – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has rejected speculation circulating on social media suggesting that he could replace India’s Jay Shah as the next International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman.
The reports had claimed earlier this week that Naqvi, who also serves as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), was being considered for a leading role in global cricket administration.
However, speaking to the media at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans, Naqvi dismissed the rumours outright.
Responding to a question regarding the ICC top post, he said there was no truth to the speculation, adding that such discussions were baseless.
During the interaction, the PCB chief also indicated that he would once again approach Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to seek permission for spectators to return to stadiums for ongoing PSL matches.
He said the board remains keen to bring fans back into venues to restore the atmosphere of the league.
At the same time, Naqvi highlighted that decisions regarding crowd attendance must take into account the broader regional situation, particularly ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
His remarks come after the PCB earlier decided to hold PSL matches without spectators as part of government-backed austerity measures amid the regional crisis. The tournament was also restricted to two venues — Karachi and Lahore — to minimize logistics and public movement.
Following the decision, several franchise owners urged authorities to reconsider, stressing that crowd participation is vital to the league’s identity and entertainment value. They appealed to the prime minister and provincial leadership to allow fans back into stadiums.
While expressing hope for the return of spectators, Naqvi clarified that no changes would be made to the PSL schedule.
