ASIA CUP 2025
The stand-off could see either of the two countries pulling out from the Asia Cup © Getty
A major power tussle is brewing between India and Pakistan, with potential implications on the cricket field – particularly the Asia Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering boycotting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)-chaired Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), scheduled for July 24 and 25 in Dhaka.
The BCCI has insisted that the venue be shifted from Dhaka as a condition for its participation, and its stance is reportedly backed by key allies like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. This has thrown the legality of the AGM itself under a cloud, as the presence of at least three permanent (Test playing) members is required to meet the quorum.
Of the five permanent (Test-playing) members – India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh – the first three appear to be opposed to the meeting in Dhaka. Additionally, the ACC constitution mandates the presence of at least 10 full or Associate members (non-Test playing nations) for a valid quorum, and it appears unlikely that this requirement will be met either.
Nepal, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar are all full members. The Associates members are Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Maldives, Japan, Iran, China, Myanmar and Indonesia. Of these members, the presence of Oman, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar and Indonesia is deemed to be doubtful.
At the centre of the controversy is the apparent refusal of Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB and ACC chief, to consider an alternative/neutral venue for the AGM. The buzz within the ACC circles suggests that Naqvi – who skipped the ICC Annual Conference in Singapore – was in Kabul on Sunday. The Pakistan Interior Minister used the ‘official visit’ to seek support of the Afghanistan government for the Dhaka AGM. As of Monday (July 21), however, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials are believed to have assured the India bloc that they won’t travel to Dhaka.
India’s opposition to the Dhaka meeting is on expected lines, given the recent diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours. The BCCI had recently cancelled next month’s scheduled tour of six white ball games. When contacted, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) maintained that it was a matter for the ACC to comment on.
However, a BCB insider agreed that the ACC meeting has turned into a geopolitical issue.
“It now seems the event has turned into a geopolitical matter. Aminul (Islam, the interim head of the BCB) could have handled the situation more carefully when approached by the PCB president to host the meeting.
“I think he could have taken more time because, in situations like this, taking time is part of the game. Probably due to inexperience, he agreed to host it without fully understanding the geopolitical implications,” the insider told Cricbuzz.
Another insider revealed that Aminul was urged to cancel the meeting but he did not. “Bulbul (Aminul) was requested to cancel the meeting as some of the board directors were not ready to do anything that can hurt the BCCI but the president insisted that he had given his word so cannot return back after giving his words to PCB.”
Impact on Asia Cup
The standoff over the ACC AGM appears to be spilling over into the Asia Cup, scheduled for September 10-28 in the UAE. It is understood that the BCCI may opt out of the championship if the ACC and Naqvi go ahead with the meeting in Dhaka. The PCB and Naqvi are believed to have taken the opposite position.
The BCCI, as the designated host of the event, may not exactly be concerned by Pakistan’s absence but there will be commercial implications for the ACC, if not for the BCCI. Of particular relevance here is the recent development in Birmingham where Indian legends refused to play Pakistan because of the presence of Shahid Afridi in the Pakistan squad.
There are, undoubtedly, many layers within layers to this boardroom standoff, and the fate of the Asia Cup may ultimately depend on how events unfold in Dhaka later this week.
(With inputs from Atif Azam in Dhaka)
© Cricbuzz
