Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continue to keep their hopes of hosting the Asia Cup still Alive. PCB Chief Naham Sethi has claimed that the revised proposal for the Asia Cup will be followed. This essentially means that India can play in the Asia Cup at a neutral venue while Pakistan can retain it’s hosting rights. Follow Asia Cup 2023 Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
A proposal on the same has been sent to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Earlier, the BCCI made it absolutely clear that India will not travel to Pakistan to play the Asia Cup amidst the ongoing tensions between the two rival countries. And therefore India demanded the tournament be shifted to a neutral venue.
“We have decided on this hybrid model that Pakistan plays its Asia Cup matches at home and India their matches at a neutral venue and that is our proposal to the Asian Cricket Council,” said Sethi, who took over as the PCB chairman from former cricketer Ramiz Raja, during a press conference.
Initially, Pakistan were adamant that they are unwilling to let go of their hosting rights and refused for the tournament to be shifted to a neutral venue. However, after meeting at the ACC, this topic was up for discussion. The BCCI made it clear that under no circumstance will India travel to Pakistan and will only take part in tournament if India play their games at a neutral venue.
The coveted tournament will involve 6 teams facing each other from 2nd September to 17th September. The final schedule of the tournament is yet to be decided based on the uncertainty that remains pertaining to the selection of the venue. Apart from India and Pakistan the other participating teams are Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the winner of the Qualifiers.
“We have been told that, maybe, the ice will keep on melting. If this happens when the Champions Trophy is held in Pakistan in 2025, India would consider playing in Pakistan. We have been advised to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and also go to India for the World Cup,” said Sethi but did not say exactly who has advised them.
“Our government has imposed no restrictions about playing against India. But I can say right now that public mood is, we are not needy and we can stand on our own feet financially and we want to play cricket with India honourably. We are also negotiating with the ACC,” Sethi said.
India are hosting the World Cup and there is talk across the border that Pakistan’s matches be moved to neutral venues. “We feel this hybrid experiment can also be applied when it is time for the World Cup,” Sethi said.
“Our stance is that everything should be on a reciprocal basis. In the old times, yes there were security issues in Pakistan. But now there are no issues, so what is India’s excuse for not playing in Pakistan,” he added.
The ACC, led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, is yet to respond to the PCB about the proposed hybrid model. Reports say that the other ACC members also want the Asia Cup to be held at a neutral venue to save cost even though Pakistan will remain the tournament host.
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