Dubai: Sourav Ganguly, the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is in line for another feather in his cap - that of the head of Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
The top job of Asian cricket’s governing body was on the agenda for their annual general meeting in Dubai on Tuesday, which was cancelled at the last minute due to the rising coronavirus scare in the Middle East. ‘‘The tenure of Nazmul Hasan ‘Papom’, the president from Bangladesh would be ending this year and as per the rotational policy of selection of their president, it’s India’s turn. Ganguly, on merit of being the current head of BCCI, is the obvious choice to take over the post,’’ informed sources told Gulf News.
The postponed ACC meeting assumes much significance in view of the fact the body was supposed to have finalised the venue of Asia Cup in September this year. The event, orifinally scheduled to be held in Pakistan, is likely to face a possible change of venue with India refusing to tour the neighbouring country due to “security reasons.”
A couple of days back, Ganguly announced in Kolkata that Dubai would be hosting the event - an announcement which was resented in the media by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Ehsan Mani, the chairman of PCB, said it would be Pakistan’s prerogative to announce any changed venue.
Confirming the cancellation of the meeting, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, CEO of Bangladesh Cricket Board said: ‘‘The choice of Asia Cup venue is there on the agenda but there are other subjects as well. The meeting is now expected to be held towards the end of March during the ICC board meeting in Dubai.’’
Ganguly and Wasim Khan, the CEO of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), had apparently refused to travel for the Dubai meeting in view of the coronavirus scare in the region while a number of officials from the south Asian countries were also not in a position to travel at the moment. The ACC headquarters, housed inside the global academy of International Cricket Council (ICC), has 43 member countries.
