The meeting, requested by the International Cricket Council (ICC), comes as the final decision on the high-profile fixture rests with the prime minister. Naqvi is also working to address issues linked to the recent dispute involving Bangladesh, with talks between the concerned parties already underway.
The development follows a meeting between Naqvi, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam and ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja. Meanwhile, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has also urged the PCB to reconsider its boycott decision, citing the long-term interests of the game.
On February 1, the Pakistani government confirmed the national team’s participation in the tournament but ruled out playing the group-stage match against India, citing what the PCB described as the ICC’s “biased approach,” with Bangladesh playing a key role in the dispute.
The ICC has since initiated informal efforts to ease tensions, with Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja tasked with engaging the PCB in talks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later reiterated the government’s stance, stressing that politics should be kept out of sports and calling the decision to skip the India match “appropriate.”
