By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Former Pakistan Test opener Sadiq Mohammad has called on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi to stand by their decision to boycott Pakistan’s World Cup fixture against India, saying the moment represents a critical test of the International Cricket Council’s independence.
Sadiq urged Pakistani authorities not to reverse course under pressure, arguing that financial considerations should not dictate Pakistan’s stance.
“PCB should tell the ICC that money cannot buy us,” Sadiq told thecricketplus.com adding that Pakistan risked being “ditched again” if it failed to draw a firm line.
Sadiq proposed that Pakistan condition its participation on a written commitment from the ICC ensuring India’s visit to Pakistan for a tri-nation series involving Bangladesh immediately after the World Cup. He said the series should be played exclusively in Pakistan and not at a neutral venue.
“This is the best time to judge whether the ICC works as an independent body or not,” Sadiq said. “Otherwise, ICC is just a name but ruled by India.”
The former opener also urged the PCB and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to jointly pressure the ICC, calling for compensation to Bangladesh for not being allowed to participate fully in the tournament.
Addressing PCB chairman Naqvi directly, Sadiq described the decision to boycott as “the bravest” in Pakistan cricket history and warned against backtracking.
“Prime Minister and Mohsin Naqvi, don’t lose the grip,” he said, cautioning that any reversal would draw strong public and media backlash inside Pakistan.
Sadiq’s comments reflect growing sentiment among sections of Pakistan’s cricket community that the dispute goes beyond a single match and instead highlights long-standing grievances over governance and balance of power in international cricket.
He reiterated that Pakistan should not compromise unless firm guarantees are secured, calling the current standoff a defining moment for both the PCB leadership and global cricket administration.
On Sunday night the ICC Deputy chairman Imran Khawaja rushed to Lahore to hold a marathon meeting with the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief and former Test cricketer Aminul Islam was also present on the occasion.
On the insistence of Naqvi ICC has agreed that BCB would be compensated. Khawaja requested the PCB chairman to review its decision of boycotting the February 15 game against India.
The PCB chief also told Khawaja that boycott of the game was the decision of the government and now reviewing the decision is also the job of the state.
