Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Rameez Raja said – If the 2023 Asia Cup is not held in Pakistan, then his team will not play the tournament. The location of the tournament should not be shifted just because Team India cannot come to Pakistan. If India does not come, it is not right, but if the venue is changed, first of all the Pakistan team will withdraw its name from the tournament.
Hosting rights not found in begging
During the England-Pakistan Test match in Rawalpindi, PCB Chief said – We are not dying to host the tournament. We did not get hosting rights by begging. Through the fair process of ICC, we have got the responsibility of hosting the Asia Cup.
Asia Cup will be of 50 overs
The 2023 Asia Cup is to be held in Pakistan in September. After this, there will be ODI World Cup in India in October. Due to the ODI World Cup, this time the Asia Cup will be of 50 overs instead of 20. The last Asia Cup was to be held in the UAE in August 2022, but the hosting rights were with Sri Lanka. Actually, due to political chaos in his country, the venue had to be changed.
Host nation Sri Lanka won the 2022 Asia Cup in UAE. The team defeated Pakistan in the final. It was played in 20-20 format.
ACB President had said – the tournament will be held at a neutral venue
Asia Cricket Board (ACB) President Jay Shah had said that Team India cannot go to Pakistan due to political reasons. The hosting rights of the Asia Cup are with Pakistan, but matches can also be held at neutral venues by shifting the location of the tournament. Shah is also the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Pakistan will not even play the ODI World Cup!
After Shah’s statement, India’s Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had said – a decision will be taken on sending any player of Team India to Pakistan only after permission from the Home Ministry. After this PCB Chief had said, if Team India will not play Asia Cup in Pakistan then Pakistan will also not play in ODI World Cup to be held in India.
Team India has not gone to Pakistan since 2008
Team India went to Pakistan for the last time in 2008 to play the Asia Cup. At the same time, Pakistan’s team came to India for the last time in 2016 to play T20 World Cup. In 2022, both the teams have met 3 times. Cricket matches between the two countries were held twice in Dubai during the Asia Cup and once in Melbourne during the T20 World Cup.
