ACC to discuss India's withdrawal

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is to discuss India's withdrawal from the Asian Test Championship when it meets in Sharjah next month.

The ACC meeting slated for Feb 13 will discuss imposing penalties on the pattern of the International Cricket Council, but their immediate implementation appears unlikely.

India had refused to play Pakistan in Lahore for a match of the championship last year and later withdrew from the event. Their decision led to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suffering heavy financial losses.

The meeting, to be chaired by ACC president, Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia, who also heads the PCB, will also decide on setting up a permanent secretariat. The UAE, Malaysia and Nepal are the three venues in consideration.

The development programme from April 2002 to March 2003 will also be considered for approval.

The ACC moot will be preceded by a meeting of the Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) on Feb 12. The agenda of the meeting which is to be chaired by Jagmohan Dalmiya has not been circulated yet.

Besides the four chief executives of the cricket boards of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Abdul Rehman Bukhatir of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) will also be in attendance.