Syed Ashraful Haque, former chief of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, has accused Pakistan's cricket administrator Mohsin Naqvi of persuading Bangladesh to cancel a planned tour to India—a decision Haque warns could set Bangladesh cricket back by a decade.
In an interview with RevSportz, Haque pulled no punches about regional cricket politics. "Mohsin Naqvi, the current ACC president, persuaded Aminul Islam to go along," Haque said, referring to Bangladesh's current cricket leadership. "At the end of the day, who won?"
The comments expose cricket as a geopolitical battlefield in South Asia, with Bangladesh caught between the India-Pakistan rivalry. Naqvi, who serves as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and president of the Asian Cricket Council, allegedly used his regional influence to prevent the Bangladesh-India series.
For Bangladesh, the stakes are enormous. "If India does not tour, Bangladesh cricket could regress by 5–10 years or more," Haque warned. India tours generate massive revenue for host nations and provide crucial competitive experience. The financial implications for Bangladesh cricket—already operating with smaller budgets than regional giants—could be severe.
In India, as across the subcontinent, scale and diversity make simple narratives impossible—and fascinating. Cricket diplomacy has long served as both connector and weapon across South Asian borders, with tours cancelled and resumed based on political winds.
Haque, who previously served as Asian Cricket Council CEO, emphasized India's historical support for Bangladesh cricket. "The Indian press has historically supported us, and I hope they will do so again," he said, appealing for the September tour to proceed despite current tensions.
The backdrop is Bangladesh's political transition following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. The interim government has navigated complex regional relationships, and cricket has become one flashpoint. Pakistan's alleged intervention represents an attempt to exploit this transition and weaken India-Bangladesh ties.
Cricket economics drive the urgency. A bilateral series with India can generate more revenue for smaller cricket boards than multiple series with other nations. For Bangladesh Cricket Board, losing an India tour means not just competitive disadvantage but budgetary crisis.
Haque's public accusation marks an unusual break in South Asian cricket diplomacy, where such maneuvers typically occur behind closed doors. His willingness to name Naqvi directly suggests frustration with Pakistan's regional interference and concern about Bangladesh's cricketing future. Whether the September tour proceeds will test whether cricket can transcend regional political rivalries—or remains captive to them.
