logo
Pakistan board's Mohsin Naqvi accused of trying to 'assert unnecessary pressure' on BCCI over Asia Cup

Pakistan board's Mohsin Naqvi accused of trying to 'assert unnecessary pressure' on BCCI over Asia Cup

First Post20-07-2025
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council, has been accused of playing politics by a BCCI source. The Indian board has also reportedly threatened to reject any resolution passed by the Asian body regarding the Asia Cup 2025 at the upcoming AGM in Dhaka. read more
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has accused Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi of trying to 'assert unnecessary pressure' on India and ghosting the board's request as the future of the Asia Cup 2025 hangs in balance. The T20 tournament is expected to take place in September and while India are the designated host, there was a feeling that it was always going to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
A neutral venue agreement has been reached between the BCCI and PCB regarding India-Pakistan matches in ICC tournaments. According to the agreement, neither India nor Pakistan will travel to the other's country if one is the designated host of an ICC event. As a result, it was felt that the Asia Cup would be held in the UAE to avoid forcing teams to play at a neutral venue later on.
Asia Cup future hangs in balance
However, the future of the Asia Cup 2025 has been mostly unclear since the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the loss of 26 lives and India's retaliatory attacks on Pakistan through Operation Sindoor. There have also been reports in Indian media that the BCCI would boycott the Asia Cup 20925, but that was later refuted by the board secretary.
The final resolution on the Asia Cup matter could be taken at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 24 July. The ACC is currently headed by PCB chairman Naqvi and the BCCI is not willing to travel to Dhaka for the AGM.
The relationship between India and Bangladesh has also worsened in the last one year and the Indian cricket team's white-ball tour to Bangladesh in August 2025 was also recently postponed to September 2026.
The ACC, however, is yet to get back to the BCCI regarding the request for a venue change, with only a few days left for the ACC AGM.
PCB's Naqvi playing games with BCCI?
Amid the whole drama, a BCCI source has said that Naqvi is trying to put BCCI under pressure by going AWOL and any resolution taken at the meeting will be rejected by the BCCI.
'Asia Cup can happen only if the meeting venue changes from Dhaka. 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,' a BCCI source told news agency ANI.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
It will be interesting to see how things unfold from here, but it looks certain that if ACC doesn't change the location of the AGM, then we may see further delay in reaching a resolution over hosting the Asia Cup 2025.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What China And Global Media Are Saying About PM Modi's Visit To Maldives
What China And Global Media Are Saying About PM Modi's Visit To Maldives

India.com

time9 minutes ago

  • India.com

What China And Global Media Are Saying About PM Modi's Visit To Maldives

New Delhi: On July 26, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 60th Independence Day celebrations of Maldives as the chief guest. His presence at the event grabbed headlines not only in India and Maldives, but across the world. The visit stood out for several reasons. Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu had built his 2023 election campaign around the slogan 'India Out'. After coming to power, he had sent strong signals distancing the country from India. He also moved swiftly to forge closer ties with China. His early months in office were marked by a decision to send back Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives. This was viewed in New Delhi as a potential pivot toward Beijing. That same leader has now invited the Indian prime minister as guest of honour at the nation's biggest official event. The symbolism was unmistakable. It marked a moment that was closely tracked in foreign capitals, especially as China continues its attempts to deepen influence across the Indian Ocean region. Chinese State Media Responds Beijing's Global Times, a state-run publication, published a commentary criticising the tone of Indian media coverage surrounding the visit. According to the publication, some Indian platforms had portrayed the trip as a strategic setback for China and a diplomatic win for India. In its analysis, the Global Times accused Indian media of engaging in zero-sum thinking, suggesting that any gain for India must mean a loss for China. It cited comments from Qian Feng, director at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, who argued that the Maldives naturally prioritises relations with its neighbours but also pursues a diversified foreign policy, including engagement with China's Belt and Road Initiative. 'These approaches are not in conflict,' he said. Singapore and U.S. Media Weigh In Singapore-based Channel News Asia headlined its coverage: 'India's Modi reshapes ties with Maldives.' Their report highlighted how Modi's visit included new infrastructure partnerships, financial commitments and signs of renewed warmth between the two countries. PM Modi inaugurated a new defense ministry building and Indian-funded projects and announced economic support. According to Channel News Asia, the visit was viewed in New Delhi as reassurance that Maldives would not drift too far into China's orbit. The channel highlighted how Muizzu's early months had raised concerns after he ordered the withdrawal of Indian military personnel. The Washington Post echoed this view. In a detailed report, the paper called the two-day trip 'strategically vital' and said it pointed to India's broader goals of asserting presence across key sea routes in the Indian Ocean. It highlighted the announcement of a $565 million line of credit from India to fund development projects. The publication said the visit may mark the beginning of a shift toward restoring normalcy in bilateral ties. A Look From the UK British daily The Independent took a broader view, framing the visit in the context of recent diplomatic turbulence. The publication emphasised that tensions had risen after the Indian government promoted Lakshadweep as a tourism hub, which some in the Maldives perceived as an attempt to redirect Indian tourists away from their beaches. Celebrities in India had even called for a boycott of Maldives as a travel destination. The report added that President Muizzu chose to visit China before making a trip to India, something that had not gone unnoticed in New Delhi. Muizzu's post-China announcement about reducing dependency on India for essentials like medicines and food also drew concern. But things began to improve when Muizzu attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony earlier this year. That visit set the stage for a gradual warming of ties, culminating in the current trip. A New Phase for India-Maldives Relations Pakistan's Express Tribune said Modi's visit ended on a note of clarity and mutual affirmation. It quoted President Muizzu calling the trip 'a defining moment' in relations between the two nations. In social media posts shared at the conclusion of the visit, Muizzu acknowledged the importance of people-to-people ties and long-term cooperation across sectors. In a reciprocal message, PM Modi said India would stand by the people of Maldives in their aspirations. Germany's Deutsche Welle (DW) provided a strategic lens on the visit. It emphasised Maldives' critical location along shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean. Despite its image as a tourist haven, the report described Maldives as a 'geopolitical hotspot' nestled across 1,192 islands. DW pointed out how this geography has made it a focal point in the growing rivalry between India and China. Their report argued that the region is becoming less about leisure and more about maritime strategy and political influence. What Experts Are Saying According to a commentary by Aditya Shivamurti, associate fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Maldives' policy initially leaned strongly toward China. He explained how 'India Out' had dominated discourse in 2023, and India's presence was sharply reduced. But by 2024, Shivamurti observed a shift. The domestic economic situation in Maldives worsened. Parliamentary dynamics changed. Chinese promises failed to meet expectations. These developments pushed Muizzu to reassess foreign policy. The analysis added that India responded with pragmatism. It avoided escalation and focused instead on diplomatic engagement and support. In return, the Maldives leadership began acknowledging India's critical role in areas like health, development and infrastructure. ORF's report concluded that both countries are now trying to separate foreign policy from domestic politics. While the Maldivian Democratic Party has historically been seen as pro-India and the ruling PNC as leaning toward China, Muizzu seems to be moderating that binary. He has taken steps to respect India's sensitivities, and India, in turn, has extended support. As per Shivamurti's view, the visit was more than symbolic. It was a recalibration. It offered not just headlines, but signs that pragmatism, diplomacy and shared interests are still possible in a region crowded by rival influences.

India-US trade deal: Commerce Ministry advised against accepting ‘unilaterally framed obligation' on digital taxes
India-US trade deal: Commerce Ministry advised against accepting ‘unilaterally framed obligation' on digital taxes

Indian Express

time37 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

India-US trade deal: Commerce Ministry advised against accepting ‘unilaterally framed obligation' on digital taxes

Legal advisers to the Commerce and Industry Ministry have suggested that Indian negotiators dealing with their US counterparts should not accept Washington's proposal that prohibits India from reintroducing equalisation levy-style taxes, such as the 'Google tax', in the future, a person aware of the negotiations told The Indian Express. The advice was offered on the grounds that the provisions drafted by the US did not state that both parties should refrain from applying digital taxes on each other. Rather, they sought a legal commitment only from the Indian side and were seen as a 'unilaterally framed obligation', the source said. While the US offers a range of digital services in India and American tech companies have long lobbied against any taxes on such services, India also exports a wide range of digital services to the US — particularly in the IT sector — generating the majority share of its total services exports earnings from the US market. Another concern raised with the government was that agreeing to such unilateral provisions could set a risky precedent for future trade negotiations, where similar demands could be made by other trading partners during talks with New Delhi, thereby complicating future negotiations. In a move to assuage US concerns about India being a high-tariff nation, the Central government in March proposed abolishing the equalisation levy on online advertisements as part of the amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025. An equalisation levy is a measure to 'equalise' the tax treatment of resident and non-resident e-commerce companies. As part of the 35 amendments to the Finance Bill, 2025, the Centre proposed removing the 6 per cent equalisation levy (EL) it charges on digital ads, effective from 1 April 2025. A query emailed to the Commerce and Industry Ministry remained unanswered till press time. 'Digital taxation is typically discussed outside the framework of a trade agreement. It is a nation's sovereign right to decide on such matters, and India should reserve that right. Bringing it under the scope of a trade agreement weakens your position. We need to examine the digital trade chapters of the US and Australia, which India must study carefully. Australia has provided the US with a carve-out that allows for protections for US services. We also need to secure our IT/ITeS and technology exports from taxation in the US, our largest market' Arpita Mukherjee, professor at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) said. Notably the US has forced Indonesia to several steep terms on digital trade. Indonesia has committed to address barriers impacting digital trade, services, and investment, a White House statement said. 'Indonesia will provide certainty regarding the ability to transfer personal data out of its territory to the United States. Indonesia has committed to eliminate existing HTS tariff lines on 'intangible products' and suspend related requirements on import declarations; to support a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the WTO immediately and without conditions; and to take effective actions to implement the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation, including submitting its revised Specific Commitments for certification by the World Trade Organization (WTO),' the White House statement read. The United States Trade Representative (USTR), in its report on non-tariff barriers, had earlier cited the 6 per cent equalisation levy as a discriminatory measure against US firms. The USTR report said that most digital services taxes are designed in ways that discriminate against US companies, often singling out American firms for taxation while excluding domestic companies engaged in similar lines of business. The US has also raised concerns about digital services taxes with a number of trade partners, particularly the EU. 'The disproportionate capture of US firms by the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) is also noted as undermining US competitiveness due to increased compliance costs not borne by EU competitors,' the USTR said. Differences between India and the US assume significance as New Delhi continues to face the risk of 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs. After Indian negotiators completed another round of discussions in Washington last week, a US team led by the US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, Brendan Lynch, is expected to visit India in mid-August to continue negotiations for a trade agreement. While India and the US have agreed on a wide range of tariff lines, the negotiations — which currently only involve market access for goods — remain stuck over sensitive sectors such as agriculture and automobiles, which are key job creators in India. Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More

ENG vs IND fifth Test: Rishabh Pant ruled out of fifth Test due to injury; N. Jagadeesan named replacement
ENG vs IND fifth Test: Rishabh Pant ruled out of fifth Test due to injury; N. Jagadeesan named replacement

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

ENG vs IND fifth Test: Rishabh Pant ruled out of fifth Test due to injury; N. Jagadeesan named replacement

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was on Sunday (July 27, 2025) ruled out of the fifth and final Test against England after sustaining a fracture to his right foot on day one of the fourth match here. Tamil Nadu's N. Jagadeesan has been named as his replacement. "Rishabh Pant, who sustained a fracture to his right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester, has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the series," the BCCI said in a press release. The 27-year-old Pant retired hurt on 37 on the opening day of the Test in Manchester and went for scans after taking a blow to his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off England pacer Chris Woakes. He, however, returned to bat after the fall of Shardul Thakur's wicket with India at 314/6 and went on to score an audacious fifty. "The BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor his progress and the team wishes him a speedy recovery," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in the release. "The Men's Selection Committee has named Narayan Jagadeesan as replacement for Rishabh Pant for the fifth Test, which begins on July 31, 2025, at Kennington Oval, London." India's updated squad for the fifth Test: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store