The Kabul Tribune (KT) — A Pakistan-backed panel won all three available director positions on the Asian Cricket Council board in a closely contested election in Bangkok, defeating a panel backed by India.
The election was held during the ACC Annual General Meeting,
where representatives from Pakistan- and India-backed panels competed for the
three board seats.
The winning candidates, backed by ACC President and Pakistan
Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, represented Qatar, Singapore and the
Maldives, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
The result gives Pakistan-backed candidates all three contested
positions, in what sources described as a significant outcome for Naqvi and
Pakistan's influence within the regional cricket body. However, the election
was an internal ACC board contest and does not by itself indicate a broader
shift in the balance of power in Asian cricket.
India was represented at the meeting by Board of Control for
Cricket in India Vice President Rajeev Shukla. The India-backed candidates were
defeated in the vote.
The meeting also discussed preparations for next year's Asia
Cup in Bangladesh. Sylhet, Mirpur and Chattogram have been proposed as venues,
while the ACC's annual budget was also reviewed.
Officials also discussed preparations for the Women's Asia
Cup in Dubai, which will feature eight teams.
India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group for
this year's Women's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled for Aug. 28 through Sept. 13. The
tournament will open with Thailand playing Hong Kong, China, at Dubai
International Cricket Stadium.
All 15 matches, including the Sept. 13 final, are scheduled
to be played at the Dubai venue.
