Mohsin Naqvi and ACC's administrative failure behind Asian Games accommodation row; cricketers to pay heavy price

The ACC cannot escape scrutiny for failing to ensure that cricket teams were properly catered for.

The 2026 Asian Games are around the corner, but cricket is already fighting a battle. The controversy over player accommodation and facilities in Aichi-Nagoya have raised serious questions about the administrative acumen of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and its current chief, Mohsin Naqvi. Several reports have already stated that the top teams like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan aren't pleased with the below-par facilities for their cricketers. But who is to be blamed?

Mohsin Naqvi, PCB and ACC chairman. (AFP)

The Japanese organisers must take responsibility for the overall accommodation arrangements at the Games, but the ACC cannot escape scrutiny for failing to ensure that cricket teams were properly looked after.

The teams have reportedly been presented with choices that include staying in hotels in Nagoya and travelling to the venue by train, living aboard a ship or using marquee-style accommodation. The cricketers face a unique challenge, and hence, the hotel stay is in question.

The stars have to travel with large kitbags and extensive equipment, and this is the main reason they need adequate rooms and proper dressing rooms. That's why reports of crammed hotel rooms, makeshift dressing rooms, and inadequate facilities cannot simply be dismissed as complaints about luxury.

Why is ACC at fault?

That clarification from the organisers of the Asian Games is important. It means the issue is not necessarily that cricket teams will be left without a roof over their heads. The flashpoint is whether the accommodation and facilities being offered are appropriate for elite international cricketers.

According to recent reports, there is an impression within cricket circles that the ACC under Naqvi may have delayed acting, while governing bodies in other sports secured accommodation for their teams well in advance.

If that is the case, the ACC has a lot to answer for. The organisation exists to represent and promote cricket across Asia. Its responsibility should not begin when a problem becomes public. It should begin during the planning stage, when the requirements of its member boards are being discussed.

By the time concerns emerged, the best accommodation options around Aichi had reportedly already been taken.

Naqvi cannot hide

Naqvi is not responsible for building hotels in Japan. Nor can he be blamed for every logistical difficulty faced by the Asian Games organisers. But he is responsible for leading the ACC. And leadership means anticipating problems.

The ACC should have asked some very basic questions months ago: Where will the teams stay? How far will they have to travel? Are the rooms large enough for international cricketers and their kit? Are the dressing rooms fit for purpose?

It is now reportedly sending officials to inspect the arrangements and assess the situation. This reeks of damage control. Multiple cricket boards have raised concerns, with Pakistan among those questioning the venue and facilities.

The players are the ones who ultimately have to deal with the consequences. A competent continental body should have recognised that cricket teams would have unique requirements and negotiated those arrangements well in advance. The organisers still have time to fix the situation. The ACC still has time to make sure the teams receive facilities befitting a major international competition.

But questions will remain. Why did ACC act so late? Why were cricket's requirements not secured earlier? Naqvi may not be responsible for the Asian Games accommodation crisis as a whole. But if cricket was left scrambling for suitable arrangements, the ACC under his leadership must accept its share of the blame.