In the midst of a disagreement between Pakistan and India regarding the Asia Cup 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is said to have finalized two new venues for the hybrid model. Due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) previously declined to send their team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. While India will host the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the PCB has also stated that they will not participate if India chooses not to visit their nation.
PCB CEO Najam Sethi proposed a hybrid hosting model for the multi-nation event, with India playing its matches in the United Arab Emirates, at an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in May. However, the proposal was rejected by both the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Sethi then brought up the possibility of holding the Asia Cup in England while speaking with an Indian media outlet.
The first four games of the continental championship will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the remaining games taking place at the Dubai International Stadium, according to a report by Geo News. Notably, PCB anticipates greater ticket sales in Dubai compared to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Additionally, the PCB has no interest in holding the match somewhere else because doing so would undermine its efforts to bring international cricket back to Pakistan.
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Sethi warned Pakistan’s chances of traveling to India for the 50-over World Cup were slim if India refused to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup on the sidelines of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) meeting. He continued by saying that cricket would be the greatest loser if such things occurred.
“In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the Pakistan government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer.
There should be a middle way to solve problems that surely threaten the smooth hosting of ICC and ACC events. In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, the government will not allow us to travel to India to figure in the World Cup matches,” Sethi said.