 "Mohsin Naqvi could face questions from BCCI over holding dual roles during the ICC meeting. Image: AFP")
The controversial Mohsin Naqvi would most likely skip the International Cricket Council (ICC) quarterly meeting that began on Tuesday in Dubai, but he has prepared for the worst, taking legal advice as he expects stringent action against himself by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) . The BCCI has already made it clear that they would raise the Asia Cup controversy during the ICC gathering.
There are also reports that the BCCI could initiate the process to have the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Naqvi removed from the ICC board . Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister and the head of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stoked controversy by taking the Asia Cup trophy along with himself after India refused to take the silverware from him after beating Pakistan in the final.
Naqvi faces allegations of breaching ICC regualtions
The Asia Cup trophy has since been kept locked at the ACC office in Dubai, with Naqvi refusing to hand it over to BCCI. He wants a Team India member to collect the trophy personally from him. Enraged by his high-handedness, BCCI is planning to initiate action against the Pakistan administrator at the ICC.
A report from a Pakistani journalist has claimed that, besides questioning Naqvi’s actions after the Asia Cup final, the BCCI could also raise his dual role as ACC and PCB head and Pakistan’s Interior Minister, which, reportedly, the Indian board feels breaches the ICC governance regulations.
If ICC agrees with BCCI, then Naqvi will be forced to leave the sporting offices, but he is not ready to go down easily. As per a PCB source, Naqvi has sought legal advice on how he can counter BCCI’s allegations. The source also added that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is set to back any motion by the BCCI after three Afghan cricketers recently died due to Pakistan’s air strike.
“Afghanistan will support India’s stance, demanding Naqvi relinquish one of his posts. But Naqvi is unlikely to back down,” a PCB source told Telecom Asia Sport. “Naqvi acted within his rights as the Asian Cricket Council president, under whose authority the Asia Cup was organised. He has taken legal advice to strengthen his case before the ICC.”
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View AllMeanwhile, there’s a possibility that Naqvi may skip the four-day ICC meeting to avoid any confrontation with the ICC and the BCCI. Reportedly, there’s a Senate session in Islamabad that is colliding with the ICC meeting and Naqvi may choose to take part in the Senate’s constitutional amendment debate as a politician.