India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in a one-sided contest in Colombo.
Naqvi was amongst the dignitaries who had visited Colombo, along with BCCI officials and ICC chairman Jay Shah as well, to witness this high-voltage India vs. Pakistan game. However, the much-hyped rivalry has now seemingly vanished.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bowl first, much to the surprise of many. Though Abhishek Sharma got out for a duck, Ishan Kishan hammered 77 with 10 fours and 3 sixes as he laid a solid foundation for a good score by India. Suryakumar Yadav (32), Tilak Varma (25), and Shivam Dube (27) pushed India’s score to 175/7 in 20 overs.
The score proved to be a very good one, as Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in his first over after Hardik Pandya had dismissed Sahibzada Farhan for a duck in the first over. Despite Usman Khan’s valiant 44, Pakistan batters, under severe pressure, succumbed to Indian bowlers and were bowled out for 114 runs. India won the game by 61 runs and qualified for the Super Eight stage.
Amidst all the celebrations of the Indian team and its supporters, Mohsin Naqvi was no longer in his seat before the chase was even formally beyond rescue.
As the match slid rapidly out of the Pakistan team’s hands, officials in the media and hospitality sections confirmed that Mohsin Naqvi had departed the venue while the match was still underway and Pakistan was still batting. The deviation was observed between overs.
In a video shared by PTI, Mohsin Naqvi's car was seen leaving the R. Premadasa Stadium even before the match was completed.
From the stands, the absence was soon noticed. The talk around the press seats was less about the next over and more about what the early departure meant in a match with far-reaching repercussions—especially in a tournament already fraught with logistical and political strain.