The BCCI has taken a strong stance against the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Annual General Meeting, set to be held in Dhaka on July 24. Amid geopolitical tension and worsening on-ground conditions in Bangladesh, the Indian board has made it clear that it will boycott any resolution passed at the meeting if the venue isn’t shifted.
The Asia Cup, scheduled in the T20 format this year, remains in limbo. Despite India being the designated host nation, the tournament has neither been officially scheduled nor assigned a confirmed venue by the ACC. While speculation points to a September window, the lack of clarity has only added to the confusion.
Adding to the chaos is the BCCI’s firm objection to the location of the July 24 AGM. A source familiar with the developments told ANI that India will not send representatives to Dhaka and has already requested a venue change. But with ACC president Mohsin Naqvi yet to respond, the situation remains tense.
“Asia Cup can happen only if the meeting venue changes from Dhaka,” the source told ANI.
“ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi is trying to assert unnecessary pressure on India for the meeting. We requested him to change the venue, but have received no response. BCCI will boycott any resolution if Mohsin Naqvi goes ahead with the meeting in Dhaka.”
Notably, Naqvi currently serves as the PCB chairman as well as Pakistan’s interior minister, a dual role that has further complicated the political undertones of the Asia Cup build-up.
Not a recent issue
This friction is not new. India had refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, resulting in Sri Lanka being assigned as a neutral venue for their fixtures. A similar stance was adopted during the Champions Trophy earlier this year, with India playing all of their matches in Dubai.
The controversy also follows previous speculation in May that India had withdrawn from both the Men’s Asia Cup and the Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed those reports as “speculative and imaginary,” clarifying that no such communication had taken place with the ACC.