Mohsin Naqvi's ACC tenure faces April 2027 end as extension hopes fade, Bangladesh prepare to take over: Report

Mohsin Naqvi's ACC presidency is unlikely to extend beyond April 2027, with member opposition growing and Bangladesh next in line to charge of the body.

Mohsin Naqvi’s tenure as president of the Asian Cricket Council appears unlikely to continue beyond April 2027, with opposition inside the continental body expected to make any extension extremely difficult. The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman is currently scheduled to complete his term on April 2 next year. There has been speculation over whether Naqvi could remain in office for a longer period, but such a move would require overwhelming support from the ACC Executive Board. That support, however, appears unlikely to materialise in the present circumstances.

Mohsin Naqvi's ACC presidency tenure comes to an end in April 2027. (AFP)

According to a Cricbuzz report, at least three, and potentially four, of the five Full Member boards represented on the Executive Board are expected to oppose an extension for Naqvi. The five Full Members are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The ACC presidency operates on a rotational system, with the position generally moving between the continent’s Full Members every two years. Bangladesh is next in line to take charge, and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Tamim Iqbal is understood to be keen on assuming the role.

There has also been discussion over whether Naqvi could seek to remain president until the next ACC Annual General Meeting. However, the tenure of the ACC president is not tied to the timing of the AGM, meaning the presidency does not automatically continue until the body’s next annual meeting. An unnamed ACC member explained that distinction to Cricbuzz and maintained that Naqvi’s term would conclude in April, irrespective of when the AGM is conducted. The official also indicated that Bangladesh’s turn in the rotation remained the expected next step.

“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,” the ACC member said. “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.”

Why an extension looks difficult

Extensions to the ACC presidency are not without precedent, but they have generally depended on consensus among the member boards. That makes Naqvi’s position markedly different from previous instances where continuity at the top was agreed upon collectively. Jay Shah, for instance, remained ACC president for a third year in 2024 after receiving unanimous backing. Sri Lanka cricket, which was next in the rotation at the time, also agreed to allow Shah to continue rather than immediately taking over the presidency.

Naqvi, however, appears unlikely to receive comparable support from the present Executive Board. The lack of unanimity is expected to be the biggest obstacle should he attempt to seek an extension beyond April. “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,” the ACC member added. “At least on the subject of extension to Naqvi, there is little chance of unanimity, going by recent turn of events.”

That absence of consensus strengthens Bangladesh’s position as the next country in line to assume the ACC presidency. Tamim’s reported interest in the role could also make it even more difficult for the existing arrangement to be prolonged. Before Naqvi’s tenure ends, however, there could be yet another potentially sensitive moment involving an Indian team and a trophy presentation. The Asian Under-19 Women’s Championship is scheduled to be held in Bangladesh this December, with India entering the competition as two-time defending champions.

Naqvi has previously found himself at the centre of a trophy-presentation controversy involving Indian teams. Should India reach another final during his remaining months as ACC president, the identity of the official presenting the trophy could again become a point of attention before his tenure formally draws to a close.