The future of the 2023 Asia Cup cricket tournament, which is set to be hosted by Pakistan in September this year, is in doubt after the BCCI stated that it will not be travelling to Pakistan to compete in the continental event.

In a meeting held in Bahrain on Saturday (04 Feb.) and attended by BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), once again stated that India will not be travelling to Pakistan and that the tournament will be held elsewhere.
 
The decision on the new venue is most likely to be announced next month.

India hasn’t travelled to Pakistan since 2008, and there were chances that the Men in Blue would travel to Pakistan after almost 15 years later this year, but it is not happening. 

After BCCI made its choice very clear in the Asian Cricket Council meeting on Saturday, there are reports in Pakistani media that the Pakistan Cricket Board has also made itself clear that Pakistan’s men’s cricket team will not travel to India to take part in the ODI World Cup later this year if the Asia Cup tournament moves out of Pakistan.

According to Pakistani journalist Farid Khan and other various Pakistani channels, in the ACC meeting, PCB chief Najam Sethi met with Jay Shah and made him aware of Pakistan’s decision. 

The veteran administrator who replaced Ramiz Raja last year said, “If you won’t come to play in Pakistan, we won’t play in India either, and there would be no Pakistan in the 2023 World Cup.”

Earlier, when Ramiz was the chairman of the PCB, he had also said that Pakistan will boycott the ODI World Cup 2023 if India decides against travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. 

According to various media reports in India, the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup will be played in the United Arab Emirates, with Pakistan having the hosting rights.

Source – Times Now

- Agencies