Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Archives

ACC chief Mohsin Naqvi urges members to keep politics out of cricket

DHAKA: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has urged all member boards to put aside political differences and unite for the greater good of cricket in the region.

Speaking during the ACC annual meeting in Dhaka on Thursday, Naqvi stressed that the future of Asian cricket depends on collective effort and mutual cooperation.

“We need to work as a team for the growth of cricket. Political differences should not come in the way of the sport’s progress,” he said.

“This is a cricket family, and we need to support each other to achieve success.”

The ACC chief underlined that building stronger teams across Asia was crucial to increasing the sport’s competitiveness and commercial value.

“Stronger teams will lead to better contests, and better contests will create a stronger market,” Naqvi noted.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“We need to explore ways to make the ACC more robust and help our associate members.”

Mohsin Naqvi also emphasised the importance of giving associate nations the tools and support they need to raise their standard of cricket, which in turn will elevate the overall quality of ACC events.

He concluded by thanking the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for successfully hosting the meeting and acknowledged the efforts of all board representatives who travelled to Dhaka.

“This meeting would not have been possible without the support of the Bangladesh Cricket Board,” he said.

“I am hopeful that we will continue to work together for the betterment of cricket.”

READ: Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE tri-nation series talks enter final phase: reports

ACC to hold meeting in Dhaka despite India’s opposition: sources

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has reportedly called its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 24 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, despite the opposition from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

This will be the first ACC meeting in Bangladesh in several years, but uncertainty looms as India and Sri Lanka have reportedly raised concerns over the venue and suggested a change.

According to the sources, the notice for the meeting has already been sent to all member boards, with ACC President Mohsin Naqvi himself summoning the meeting.

However, both the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have reportedly requested the ACC to shift the venue, citing logistical and political concerns.

Despite the objections, the meeting is still likely to take place in Dhaka, with the ACC providing member boards with a 15-day advance notice to make necessary arrangements.

In case any member board is unable to attend the meeting, an online participation option has also been made available.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Online meetings are a global norm now, even ACC and ICC have held several of them in the past,” a source from the ACC noted.

Significantly, the Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I series will also be underway in Dhaka during the same period, with representatives from various ACC member nations expected to be present in the city.

This overlapping schedule may have also influenced the decision to retain Dhaka as the host city.

Meanwhile, preparations for the ACC Asia Cup 2025 are in motion, with the UAE emerging as the likely host.

As per the proposed schedule, the tournament is expected to run from September 5 to 21, though final confirmation remains pending.

READ: Hasan Ali shares story behind viral ‘King kar lega’ phrase

Mohsin Naqvi set to replace Jay Shah as ACC president

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi is set to become the new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for a two-year tenure, according to sources.

The reports indicate that Pakistan has been authorized to chair the ACC and Mohsin Naqvi is set to assume the role in January 2025. The decision was made during the ACC meeting held in Bali in January 2024.

Meanwhile, the current president of ACC Jay Shah was given an extension of a one-year, with his tenure concluding in January 2025.

For the unversed, Mohsin Naqvi currently holds two key positions in Pakistan as he is not only PCB chairman but the Interior Minister as well.

Meanwhile, India is set to host the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in T20 format while Bangladesh will host the event in ODI format in 2027.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Both editions of the Men’s Asia Cup will feature a total of six teams Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and a sixth team which will be finalized after the completion of the qualifying event.

The development was confirmed when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) issued the Invitation for Expressions of Interest (IEOI) for the sponsorship rights document on Saturday.

The letter extends an invitation to interested parties to submit an IEOI for ACC Sponsorship Rights between 2024 and 2027.

The document further highlighted that all information is provisional and subject to change at the ACC’s sole discretion without responsibility, including timetables, dates, formats, and locations.

Notably, the official schedule of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 has not been finalized yet while it is expected that the six-team tournament will be played in September next year after the monsoon season ends in the country.

READ: “Babar is defensive while Shan looks to attack”: Aamer Jamal on captaincy