Asians form ACF under Dalmiya

The head of the Asian Cricket Council, Taqir Zia of Pakistan, did not agree with those who said that the ACF is being formed to fight the ICC but made it clear that ACC is not happy with “the way Asian countries are being treated”.

The bone of contention is the money which is being given to the Asian countries by the ICC from its development funds. “We get only 10 per cent of the money whereas we are the ones who generate maximum revenue for the ICC’s development fund,” Zia said.

The ICC development fund is headed by Dr Ali Bacher of South Africa. There are reports that the ACC has set a deadline — June 22 — for the ICC to raise Asia’s share in the development fund to 50 per cent from the present 10 per cent, failing which they might even boycott the Mini World Cup scheduled to be held in Nairobi in October.

Since June 22 is the first day of the ICC’s Annual General Meeting, to be held at London, confrontation between the parent body and the ACF is very much on the cards. Though Zia, who also happens to be the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman, said that the ACC “did not want a showdown with the ICC and is not going to boycott the Nairobi tournament” he also made it clear that Asians “should not be discriminated against”.

To a question from a local reporter over Dalmiya’s appointment as the chairman of the ACF when his role in negotiating television deals for the 1998 Mini World Cup is under a cloud, General Zia said: “There is nothing against Dalmiya so far. But if any one is proved guilty, he won’t be part of the ACF.”

Interestingly, among the founding members of the ACF is Asif Iqbal, against whom Justice Qayyum has passed strictures for not helping in the Pak match-fixing probe.

The other members of the ACF will be the five presidents of the India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE and Bangladesh Boards besides Syed Ashraful Haq, secretary of the Bangladesh Cricket Board and Sheikh Abdul Rehman Bukhatir, vice chairman of the CBSF and the person instrumental in taking cricket to Sharjah.

The formation of the Foundation is to be ratified on June 27 by the ACC, which is meeting in London, and the new body will become functional from June 28.