The internet hosting rights of the 2023 Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in ODI format, are with the Pakistan Cricket Board however BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who can also be the ACC chairman, has made it clear that the Indian cricket workforce will not journey to Pakistan. Image for representational function solely.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Contradicting media studies that Asia Cup could possibly be postponed and a parallel event, excluding Pakistan, could possibly be performed in Dubai in the identical window, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) sources on May 1 mentioned that they’ve not despatched out any such proposal to the member nations.
A report in Pakistan media claimed that if Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not agree to play Asia Cup at a impartial venue, the event could possibly be taken away from the nation.
The internet hosting rights of the 2023 Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in ODI format, are with the Pakistan Cricket Board however BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who can also be the ACC chairman, has made it clear that the Indian cricket workforce will not journey to Pakistan.
The PCB has proposed to host Asia Cup on a ‘hybrid mannequin‘, the place Pakistan play their matches on house soil, whereas India play at a impartial venue — in all chance Dubai.
It is known that the BCCI needs the whole event to be shifted to the UAE — which has three grounds in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi — very like the 2018 and 2022 editions when India and Sri Lanka have been the event hosts.
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“There has been exchange of messages but no discussion or proposal to postpone the Asia Cup has been floated,” an ACC Board member, privy to discussions on the sidelines of an ICC meet in Dubai, instructed PTI on the circumstances of anonymity.
“Secondly, if the Asia Cup is cancelled, PCB will be intimated first. Nothing of that sort has happened till now. The ACC chairman (Shah) hasn’t yet put anything on record.
“To postpone or cancel the occasion, the ACC may have to name an Executive Board assembly. The chairman (Shah) can name the assembly in seven days (digital or bodily). To date, there is no such thing as a intimation about any such assembly,” the source added.
The ACC source said that, to the best of his knowledge, the last official mail exchange between the PCB, ACC and BCCI was an invitation sent to the Indian team with assurance of highest degree of security and best hospitality.
“But, clearly, it’s tough for India to journey to Pakistan within the present delicate political atmosphere,” he agreed.
The other issue is amount of money the official broadcaster has committed on telecast deals, that includes at least two assured India-Pakistan games. If the two teams make the final, the third game would be a bonanza.
“We should keep in mind the media rights and the settlement with Star Sports, who’ve paid tens of millions for, at the very least, two Pakistan vs India matches within the Asia Cup,” he said.
It is learnt that when the informal discussion was held between the ACC members about hosting the tournament at a neutral venue, the source confirmed that BCCI did get support from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
“Look, if Asia Cup is cancelled after the ACC chairman summons an Executive Board assembly, the ramifications will not simply be Pakistan’s World Cup participation but in addition PCB’s FTP calendar and bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan or Bangladesh.
“The situation is still very fluid,” the source mentioned.
