Mohsin Naqvi's ACC extension bid collapses as Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal waits to take reins

Extension requires near-unanimous backing that simply isn't there

Recent speculation notwithstanding, Mohsin Naqvi has little chance of getting an extension as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman's current term is scheduled to end on April 2, 2027, and any extension would require near-unanimous agreement from the ACC Executive Board — a proposition described by those inside the body as virtually impossible.

The Executive Board comprises the five Full Members from the continent: India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. According to ACC members who spoke to Cricbuzz, at least three, if not four, of those five are expected to oppose any extension for Naqvi.

Bangladesh's turn next as Tamim Iqbal eyes the top job

The ACC presidency is rotated every two years among the five Full Members, and it is Bangladesh's turn next. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Tamim Iqbal is believed to be keen to take charge and is understood to have conveyed his intentions to the continental body.

"There may be speculations, but Naqvi's term ends in April 2027. Bangladesh is next in line, and there is a belief among ACC members that Tamim is looking forward to taking over," one ACC member explained to Cricbuzz. "Naqvi may argue that the AGM was held only in August last year, when elections to other ACC positions were not held, and that the elections were held only in August this year. But the term of the ACC president has no connection with the AGM."

He elaborated on that point: "The president has a two-year term which is rotated among the full members of the ACC. Extensions can occasionally be granted by unanimous agreement among the Executive Board and in the current ACC Executive Board, there is no unanimity. At least on the subject of extension to Naqvi, there is little chance of unanimity, going by recent turn of events."

Naqvi may attempt to make a case for an extension until the ACC Annual General Meeting (AGM), normally held in the last quarter of the year — this year's AGM was held last month. However, the ACC members Cricbuzz spoke to point out that the president's term is not linked to the AGM. The term is normally for two years, running from March to March, although in Naqvi's case it ends on April 2, 2027.

An extension is not without precedent

While an extension is rare, it is not unprecedented at the ACC. Jay Shah served a third year in 2024, but in that case there was complete unanimity among the members. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), which was next in line to take charge, also agreed to cede its turn in favour of Shah — a level of consensus that simply does not exist for Naqvi today.

One last flashpoint: the trophy presentation

Before his term ends, however, there may be one more occasion for Naqvi to stand on the podium with an Indian side winning the final. The Asian Under-19 Women's Championship is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh this December, with India — the two-time defending champions — the favourites for the title.

Naqvi may insist on presenting the trophy himself, as he did at the recent Women's Asia Cup in Dubai and the men's Asia Cup last September, with both Indian teams refusing to take the silverware from him. Whether that standoff repeats itself remains to be seen, but it underscores the lingering friction that makes any extension for the PCB chairman all the more unlikely.