Pakistan might not be able to participate in the 2023 Asia Cup as a result of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan rejecting the hybrid format. After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that they would not be sending the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the forthcoming tournament, the discussion around who would host the Asia Cup in 2023 started.
According to PTI, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have all agreed with the BCCI’s demand that the Asia Cup 2023, which is to take place in September, be moved from Pakistan to a location outside of the country. The countries that border each other are of the opinion that it will not be possible, either logistically or financially, to organise the event in two distinct locations.
“At this point, it is really a formality whether the executive board members of the Asian Cricket Council meet remotely or if a genuine meeting is arranged for later this month… However, the PCB is now aware that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are not in support of their hybrid model plan for the Asia Cup news agency. PTI cited a source as stating whatever it was.
According to a report by the PTI, the Chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi, has already begun discussions with members of the cricket management committee as well as the government of Pakistan over the country’s response in the event that they are unable to host any matches of the Asia Cup.
“Pakistan has just two choices available to it. “Either play the tournament at a neutral venue or withdraw,” a source from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was reported as saying by PTI.
“In the event that Pakistan does not participate, the tournament will still be known as the Asia Cup; however, the broadcaster will renegotiate the deal in their absence,” the insider said.
According to the source, there is a possibility that the tournament may not take place this year in light of Pakistan’s decision to withdraw from it. This is due to the fact that broadcasters are hesitant to give the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) the same amount as in the past. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is making preparations for a tournament featuring four to five teams to be played in India within the time frame that would have been occupied by the Asia Cup in the event that it is not conducted.
Najam Sethi has said many times that Pakistan would not participate in the Asia Cup if the tournament was relocated to a neutral location. It is possible that the waves of criticism caused by the location of the Asia Cup will also have an effect on the ICC One-Day International World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to take place in India later this year.
ICC Chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice travelled to Pakistan a month ago in an effort to convince Pakistani Cricket Board Chairman Sethi to enter his country’s side in the One-Day International World Cup.
