Amid India-Pak World Cup row, Asim Munir makes special mention
What's the story
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has stirred controversy by invoking Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in a dispute over the scheduling of a T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and India. The match, which will be played on February 15 as confirmed by the Pakistan government, had been subject to intense negotiations and threats of boycott from Pakistan. Despite earlier hardline positions, the PCB on Monday agreed to play after consultations with PM Shehbaz Sharif and other stakeholders.
Minister
'Not intimidated by threats from India'
Just hours before Pakistan made the decision official, Naqvi said that neither he nor his government was intimidated by the "threats" from India and the ICC. "Neither am I intimidated by the threats from India and the ICC, nor is the Government of Pakistan, and as for Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, you already know about him, he never gets afraid," Naqvi said.
Political implications
Naqvi's statement viewed as political rather than cricket-related
Naqvi's invocation of Munir, who was promoted to Field Marshal after the 2025 India-Pakistan border conflict, was viewed as a political statement rather than a mere cricket-related remark. Senior government officials told CNN-News18 that mentioning Munir indicated that the military establishment is closely monitoring this issue and it goes beyond sports. This move has been interpreted as an attempt to portray India as a threat requiring military backing.
Governance strategy
Munir was promoted to the highest military rank
Munir was promoted to the highest military rank, only the second in history after Ayub Khan, following Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The operation was launched by India against terror camps linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. After four days of heavy military exchanges, both parties agreed to stop hostilities. Indian authorities later criticized Pakistan's narrative on the world stage, but Islamabad highlighted Munir's leadership as a symbol of national determination.
Governance issues
PCB's decision to play the match
Initially, the PCB had taken a hardline stance on the match against India. However, after consultations with friendly countries and multilateral discussions, Pakistan decided to play the match as scheduled in Colombo on February 15. An official government statement said the decision to play against India was taken after multilateral discussions and requests from "friendly countries."