The controversy over hosting rights of the Asia Cup 2023 continues, with there still be no agreement over where the continent tournament will take place. Though Pakistan hold the hosting rights for the tournament, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unwilling to send its team to the nation. As the talks continue, the decision has reportedly been postponed to March. A report, however, also suggested that all the participating nations (in the Asia Cup) have been asked to seek government clearance to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. However, the PCB has come out firing on all cylinders, suggesting no such talk was held during the meet.
Issuing a strong-worded statement on the ‘report’, PCB suggested that none of the members have indicated any intention to seek government clearance for their participation in the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
In its statement, Pakistan Cricket Board wrote: “Cricinfo, in its story under the headline Decision on Asia Cup venue postponed to March 2023, stated: ‘In addition, all ACC members are believed to have been asked to seek their own government’s positions on whether their teams can travel to Pakistan.’
The PCB wishes to clarify that no such matters were raised in the meeting, nor did any member indicate any intention to seek government clearance for playing in Pakistan. Sri Lanka has recently visited Pakistan in 2017 and 2019, while Bangladesh has toured Pakistan in 2020.
In the 2023-2027 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which has been agreed and announced by all ICC Members, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have confirmed their tours to Pakistan.”
As per a report in PTI, The ACC is expected to shift the Asia Cup from Pakistan and decide on an alternate venue in March. On this suggestion, however, PCB chief Najam Sethi has reportedly told Jay Shah that his country “will not forgo the hosting rights of either the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy in 2025”. On top of that he also added: “If the BCCI cannot get clearance from its government for the Asia Cup, Pakistan will also not travel to India for the (ODI) World Cup.”
The deadlock on the matter is expected to be broken in March, with the tournament expected to be held in September this year.
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