ACC approves Afghanistan for presidency rotation as Pakistan consolidates board influence

The Asian Cricket Council concluded its Annual General Meeting in Bangkok on August 22, 2026, with a landmark governance decision, the Afghanistan Cricket Board was formally approved for inclusion in the ACC presidency rotation. The change expands the pool of eligible boards from four to five, with Afghanistan joining Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as nations whose representatives may hold the council’s top administrative position.

Khalid Al Zarooni, who serves as vice-president of the UAE Cricket Board, was unanimously elected ACC vice-president at the Bangkok meeting. The presidents of the Qatar Cricket Association and the Singapore Cricket Association were both elected to the ACC Executive Board for the 2026-2028 term. Mohamed Faisal of Maldives and Mohamed Mansoor of the Bahrain Cricket Federation were elected as associate-member representatives to the same board.

Mohsin Naqvi, who chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board, presided over the AGM in his capacity as ACC President. The meeting covered governance structure, board composition and the revised eligibility framework for the presidency.

What did the ACC executive board elections produce?

Three director positions were contested at the Bangkok AGM, and all three were won by the Qatar, Singapore and Maldives representatives. According to The Nation, these candidacies were associated with Pakistan’s backing. The India-backed panel did not secure any of the available seats.

“Cricket in Asia has always been more than a game; it is a shared language that connects nations, cultures and generations. The decisions taken at this AGM reflect the maturity of our governance and our collective determination to build institutions that will serve the sport long after we have left these positions,” Naqvi said quoted by The Nation.

What does Afghanistan’s inclusion in the rotation mean in practice?

Until the Bangkok meeting, the ACC presidency had rotated exclusively among the four boards that held Test status before Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The formal approval of the Afghanistan Cricket Board for the rotation gives Kabul a recognised pathway to the council’s top role for the first time, reflecting the ACC’s acknowledgement of Afghanistan’s standing as a Test-playing nation.

The structural change broadens the governance base of the council and distributes administrative responsibility across a wider set of Asian boards. Naqvi spoke to the obligations that accompany such decisions.

“Our responsibility now is to carry this vision forward with humility, discipline and great commitment to the game. We must work together to strengthen Asian cricket and create a lasting legacy for the players of today and generations of cricketers yet to come,” Naqvi concluded.