BCCI objects to ACC's annual meeting in Dhaka, demands change in venue
The meeting, scheduled for July 24, holds key importance as it could determine the future of the upcoming Asia Cup — a six-nation T20 tournament with India as the designated host. However, the ACC has yet to announce official dates or venues for the event, with September being speculated as the tentative window.
India refuses travel amid security concerns
Citing the prevailing situation in Bangladesh, the BCCI has refused to send its delegation to Dhaka for the meeting. Earlier this year, both the BCCI and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) agreed to postpone India's scheduled tour of Bangladesh from August 2025 to September 2026. This backdrop has heightened India's reluctance to attend the meeting in person.
Sources quoted by ANI revealed that the BCCI had formally requested ACC president Mohsin Naqvi — also Pakistan's interior minister — to shift the venue, but no response has been received so far. The BCCI views Naqvi's insistence on holding the meeting in Dhaka as an attempt to apply "unnecessary pressure" on India.
Speculation around Asia Cup participation
This isn't the first time ACC events have become entangled in political tensions. In 2023, India declined to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, prompting the use of a hybrid model with Sri Lanka as a neutral venue. Earlier this year, similar speculation surfaced regarding India's withdrawal from the 2024 Men's Asia Cup and the Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup due to cross-border tensions.
However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia rubbished such claims, calling the reports 'speculative and imaginary', and confirmed that no official withdrawal has been discussed.
The ball is now in the ACC's court, and the venue decision could have a lasting impact on the Asia Cup's future.
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