Pakistan’s Interior Minister and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has publicly credited Sri Lanka’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake for Pakistan’s late decision to go ahead with the India-Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup 2026.
In remarks made during a formal meeting in Colombo, Naqvi said Pakistan’s leadership had been split on whether to play, before a call from the Sri Lankan President helped settle the issue.
Decision was 50-50 until the Sri Lankan president intervened
Addressing Dissanayake directly, Naqvi opened by conveying greetings from Pakistan’s top leadership, “First of all, warm greetings from the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan… They specifically asked me to convey their greetings to you.”
He then framed the India-Pakistan match as a mass-audience event, and positioned the Sri Lankan President as the key reason it went ahead. “Actually, this yesterday match, you were the actual hero because 2 billion people were entertained because of you… So, it is only because of you that we played the match.”
Naqvi’s biggest line was the political subtext – that Pakistan had “issues” about playing India, until a call changed everything. “We were having several issues regarding playing with India… there was a decision of 50-50,” said Mohsin Naqvi.
He then described the decision turning after the Sri Lankan president spoke to Pakistan’s Prime Minister. “But as soon as the Prime Minister received your call, he called me up and he said, there is no more issue… we have to play the match. That’s it,” he added.
Naqvi closed by explicitly thanking Dissanayake for what he called a “critical role” in ensuring the fixture went ahead. “So, it is because of just you that you managed and got this done… I am very thankful to you that you played a very critical role in this.”
The remarks come amid the wider off-field tension around the T20 World Cup 2026, where the India-Pakistan fixture has carried political pressure beyond cricket. Notably, Pakistan were humiliated on the field, as India defeated them by 61 runs to secure a spot in the Super 8s of the tournament.
