With Ahmedabad preparing to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final, the city is also set to become the stage for a key International Cricket Council (ICC) gathering later this month. Reports indicate that the ICC has called a meeting for 30 and 31 May in Ahmedabad, a scheduling choice that naturally raises eyebrows because it places the world cricket administration’s calendar right alongside one of the biggest events on the franchise circuit. The prospect of bringing together the heads of cricket’s international boards during an IPL showpiece seems tailor-made, but uncertainty remains around whether Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi will attend in person.
The ICC’s routine quarterly cycle is also in motion. The chief executives’ committee is scheduled to hold a virtual session on 21 May, with an in-person meeting expected to follow thereafter. The timing, however, has not been straightforward. The meeting was earlier expected to take place around March or April in Qatar, but it was delayed and moved because of disruption linked to the West Asia conflict. Now that the venue has shifted to Ahmedabad, the question turns to how Pakistan will participate, and whether Naqvi will be among the representatives physically present.
Geopolitical friction between India and Pakistan is hardly a new storyline, and that context is central to the current suspense. Even after India’s triumph at the Asia Cup in 2025, the trophy is still understood to be in Dubai, while Naqvi continues to work from within Pakistan. Against that backdrop, the likelihood of the PCB chairman crossing the border for the Ahmedabad meeting appears slim, especially given the practical and political sensitivities that tend to surround travel and official engagements between the two countries.
Pakistani media reports have also claimed that Naqvi may have been invited to attend the IPL 2026 final itself at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Still, there has been no clear confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on whether any such invitation has been formally extended or accepted. In the current climate, it would be notable to see Naqvi even begin the process of seeking government clearances to travel to India for the match, let alone be present at a high-profile event like the season’s final.
Behind the scenes, the BCCI and PCB relationship has been strained for some time. Recent friction has been tied to hosting arrangements and the broader atmosphere around cricket logistics, alongside political blockades and heightened speculation about the feasibility of Pakistan’s involvement in regional events for India, often linked to security-related concerns. Adding to the pressure is the continuing refusal to engage in bilateral cricket, leaving both boards to operate through multilateral tournaments and ICC-controlled frameworks rather than direct series.
Those tensions flared sharply during a widely discussed moment connected to the Asia Cup trophy ceremony. Indian players, it is reported, resisted receiving the silverware directly from Mohsin Naqvi. In the end, Naqvi chose not to hand over the trophy at all, a decision that became another flashpoint in a dispute that has carried over into administrative relations.
Even with some cautious attempts at de-escalation that have taken shape through high-level conversations held alongside ICC meetings, the fundamental deadlock has not disappeared. For Ahmedabad, the upcoming days will therefore carry a double storyline: the glamour and anticipation of the IPL final, and the lingering uncertainty over whether cricket’s international leadership—especially from Pakistan—will be willing or able to appear in person for the ICC gathering scheduled for 30 and 31 May.
