What was meant to be a serious update on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup position quickly turned into an Internet talking point after a simple but glaring mistake. The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday, January 26, to discuss recent developments involving the ICC T20 World Cup and the Bangladesh Cricket Board. However, it was not the meeting but Mohsin Naqvi’s post-meeting tweet that grabbed widespread attention.
Shortly after the meeting, Mohsin Naqvi shared a message on social media describing the discussion as productive and outlining that all possible options regarding the ICC matter were being considered. He added that a final call would be taken within days. But the tweet contained a major error. Instead of naming Shehbaz Sharif, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi mistakenly referred to Nawaz Sharif who last held the position from June 2013 to July 2017 and is Shehbaz Sharif’s elder brother.
Mohsin Naqvi tweeted, “Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.”
The slip-up did not go unnoticed. The post quickly went viral, with social media users reacting with amusement and criticism. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra also joined in, sharing the tweet on X and poking fun at the mistake, adding to the online buzz.
https://x.com/cricketaakash/status/2015781880193519676
https://x.com/RichKettle07/status/2015794982880420217
Despite the distraction, the meeting itself carried significant importance. The Pakistan government has now approved the national team’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against India, which is scheduled to be played in Colombo. This decision followed detailed discussions between Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.
While Mohsin Naqvi suggested publicly that the final announcement would come by Friday or the following Monday, sources quoted by IANS indicated that Pakistan would indeed go ahead and play India. The briefing reportedly covered the ICC T20 World Cup situation and the complications surrounding Bangladesh.
Earlier reports had suggested that Pakistan was considering boycotting either the India match or the entire tournament in support of Bangladesh. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup schedule after declining to travel to India due to security concerns. While the cricketing issue remains sensitive, Mohsin Naqvi’s tweet ensured that, for a moment, the spotlight stayed firmly on a viral mistake rather than the politics of world cricket.
