PCB Chairman Naqvi unlikely to attend ICC Dubai meeting due to 'political issues’

Dubai: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi may be prevented by "domestic political issues" from attending the ICC Executive Board meeting in Dubai, where the BCCI plans to raise the issue of the Asia Cup trophy not being presented to India. The four-day meeting began on Tuesday, and Naqvi, who also chairs the Asian Cricket Council, was expected to face criticism from the BCCI for not handing over the trophy after Indian players refused to accept it from him due to his anti-India remarks.

The PCB did not specify the political reasons affecting Naqvi’s attendance. He is also Pakistan’s interior minister and has skipped ICC meetings since Jay Shah became ICC Chairman last year. PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Sumair Syed, is slated to attend the chief executives' meeting, and if Naqvi cannot travel to Dubai, he may represent Pakistan at the important board meeting on November 7.

The Asia Cup trophy remains locked at the ACC headquarters in Dubai despite the final being held in late September. Naqvi reportedly insisted that the Indian team must accept the trophy from him and ordered ACC staff not to move it without his permission. The BCCI requested the ACC to send the trophy to Mumbai, but Naqvi maintains it will only be handed over to a BCCI representative and a member of the Indian team at a function in Dubai on November 10.

There is also a chance that Naqvi might join the board meeting remotely.

With inputs from PTI