ACC members agree to keep politics away from cricket: Naqvi

F.P. Report

DHAKA: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has successfully concluded its annual meeting in Dhaka, with key decisions made for the promotion and expansion of cricket across the continent.

The session was chaired by ACC President and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, and attended by representatives of all 25 member nations — some virtually.

One of the major highlights of the meeting was the approval of the audited budget along with the event calendar for 2025 and 2026. Notably, the council confirmed that cricket will be part of the 2026 Asian Games, with 10 men’s and eight women’s teams set to participate. Team selection will be based on ICC rankings, the ACC announced.

Mongolia, Philippines, Uzbekistan join ACC

In a move aimed at further expanding cricket’s reach in Asia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan were granted full ACC membership, bringing in new representation from emerging cricket nations.

Asia Cup schedule under discussion

Speaking to the media in Dhaka, Mohsin Naqvi said discussions are ongoing with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the final schedule of the Asia Cup 2025.

“Talks are being held with the Indian board regarding the schedule. We are hopeful the Asia Cup dates will be finalized soon,” Naqvi said, adding that there’s a possibility of expanding the tournament to eight teams instead of six.

Sources confirmed that BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla represented India in the meeting online, showing commitment to cooperation despite political tensions.

Keep politics out

Naqvi emphasized that the meeting took place in a “very good atmosphere” and that all member nations agreed to keep politics away from cricket-related matters. He called the meeting’s success a result of “teamwork and shared vision” among ACC members.

“We all agreed to work together for the promotion of cricket across Asia,” he said, thanking the Bangladesh Cricket Board for hosting the event and acknowledging virtual participants.

Representatives from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the UAE, Singapore, Cambodia, Oman, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Uzbekistan were among the attendees, either in person or online.

Asia Cup and Pakistan-India match updates awaited

While the Asia Cup schedule is still under negotiation, Mohsin Naqvi assured that an official announcement will be made soon. On the highly anticipated Pakistan vs India match, he urged fans to “wait for the official schedule,” hinting at positive progress in discussions with BCCI.