Following India’s strict stance against playing Asia Cup in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also looking for options to adopt a hybrid model for ICC World Cup, scheduled in October-November in India.
Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had blatantly told Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that they will not travel to Pakistan for the Asian event this year due to no clearance from their government.
After their refusal, the PCB has also resisted playing their World Cup matches in India this year. According to ESPNcricinfo, talks have begun re-garding a neutral venue for matches against Pakistan during ICC World Cup. Bangladesh is likely to emerge as a neutral venue for Pakistan.
“The idea came up on the sidelines of the board meetings in Dubai, where India’s presence in the Asia Cup — and consequently Pakistan’s at the World Cup — were points on the agendas of both members.
“It has only been mentioned as an option and no formal discussions have taken place on the matter, but the PCB has been keen to point out that India not playing in Pakistan in an Asia Cup has a potential impact on the ICC’s Champions Trophy, due to be held in Pakistan in February 2025,” the cricket website reported.
It must be noted here that UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka or even England are under consideration to host India matches during Asia Cup 2023. The India-Pakistan matches will be played at a neutral venue and also the final if India qualify. The two arch-rivals will play at least twice in the Asian event.
Last year, Asia Cup (T20 format) was hosted by Sri Lanka in the UAE. The Island country couldn’t host the event at home due to the economic crisis. This year, the event will be played in 50-over format and will help teams prepare for the World Cup.—Agencies
