Asia Cup 2025: BCCI and PCB in stand-off over AGM venue of ACC

Asia Cup 2025: BCCI and PCB in Stand-off Over ACC AGM Venue

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) in Dhaka, scheduled for July 24 and 25.

Key Points

• The BCCI wants the venue shifted from Dhaka as a condition for its participation.
• Sri Lanka and Afghanistan are reportedly backing India's stance.
• The ACC constitution requires at least three permanent (Test-playing) members and 10 full or Associate members for a valid quorum.
• The presence of Oman, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, and Indonesia is deemed doubtful.
• Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB and ACC chief, is refusing to consider an alternative/neutral venue for the AGM.
• The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officials have assured the India bloc that they won't travel to Dhaka.

Diplomatic Tensions

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.

ACC Meeting Turns Geopolitical

A Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) insider agreed that the ACC meeting has turned into a geopolitical issue. "It now seems the event has turned into a geopolitical matter… Probably due to inexperience, he agreed to host it without fully understanding the geopolitical implications."

Asia Cup Implications

The standoff over the ACC AGM appears to be spilling over into the Asia Cup, scheduled for September 10-28 in the UAE. The BCCI may opt out of the championship if the ACC and Naqvi go ahead with the meeting in Dhaka.