T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Angry With Loss To India, Puts PCB In Trouble

Islamabad: Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir has been angered by the T20 World Cup 2026 defeat against India. Munir reportedly expressed his displeasure with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the Pakistan cricket team's poor performance. Naqvi is also the Home Minister in Pakistan's Shahbaz Sharif government. The Pakistan Army Chief's displeasure with Naqvi has sparked tensions between the government and the army.

Pakistan had initially refused to play India in the T20 World Cup 2026, followed by its subsequent agreement a few days later and aggressive rhetoric have exacerbated the situation. Naqvi, while making big statements before the match, had mentioned the Pakistan Army in his statement.

What were Naqvi's aggressive statements?

When asked about Pakistan's attitude towards the match against India and the ICC's "threats," Naqvi said that neither he, the Pakistani government, nor Asim Munir are afraid of anyone. The crushing defeat, followed by such aggressive rhetoric, has caused Pakistan embarrassment. This has fueled Munir's anger.

It has been claimed that Mohsin Naqvi did not seek the Pakistan Army's approval for his pre-match remarks. Sources close to the government say Asim Munir was upset that he was being dragged into the matter. Munir says that Naqvi should have kept the matter within the cricket and administrative departments.

Why did the matter reach Shahbaz Sharif?

Asim Munir was already unhappy with Naqvi's statements. The heavy defeat against India further escalated the situation. The Pakistan Army leadership considered the result to be more than a normal game. The Pakistan Army feels that the team was not properly prepared and that tensions were escalated by unnecessary statements.

Sources claim that Munir has also conveyed his displeasure to Shahbaz Sharif through the Prime Minister's Military Secretary on this issue. In his message, Munir stated that he views what happened as the PCB's inability to handle things. It could have been managed better.

What was the India-Pakistan match result?

India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in a Group A match of the T20 World Cup 2026 played on Sunday. Batting first, India scored 175 runs in 20 overs with the help of Ishan Kishan's half-century. Chasing the target of 176 runs, Pakistan were all out for 114 runs in 18 overs.