Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards have extended their support to the Board of Control for Cricket in India to take the elite continental tournament out of Pakistan after India’s refusal to participate in the championship. Pakistan was given the hosting rights of Asia Cup 2023 and by the look of things, it seems as if the tournament is all but set to move out of the scheduled host country.
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Asia Cup 2023: BCCI in their attempt to move the tournament out of Pakistan
Reports further claim that both the cricket boards, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have shown interest in hosting the tournament this year – that would in one way or another, meet the BCCI’s demand of ensuring that the event is held at a neutral venue and not in Pakistan. In such a scenario, where the event is taken out of Pakistan and the Men in Green refuse to participate in the tournament, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is more than keen to consider replacing Pakistan with United Aran Emirates (UAE).
The president of ACC, Jay Shah after careful consideration of the financial losses that the broadcasters will have to bear in case Pakistan rule themselves out of the event. He has assured them that it would be duly compensated in the future in a series involving India.
Nijam Sethi’s statement:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed a hybrid model to host the Asia Cup 2023. India can play their matches at a neutral venue but the BCCI is likely to strike down any such proposal. The controversy surrounding the Asia Cup is unlikely to end anytime soon. PCB chairman Najam Sethi made it clear that Pakistan will not travel to India if the BCCI is not willing to send their team for the Asia Cup, earlier scheduled to be held in their country.
“In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the Pakistan government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer,” Sethi had reportedly told reporters.
“There should be a middle way to solve problems that surely threaten the smooth hosting of ICC and ACC events. In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, the government will not allow us to travel to India to figure in the World Cup matches,” he further added.
