The Asia Cup 2023 has dealt the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) a significant setback. According to media reports, the cricket boards of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have backed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its effort to move the Asia Cup out of Pakistan.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is planning to shift the tournament from Pakistan, which means Sri Lanka will likely host the upcoming Asia Cup.
Since BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that the Indian team will not cross the border, the decision to move the event from the original host country has always been in discussion.
The Asia Cup is a major event in the cricketing calendar of Asian countries, and the relocation is bound to cause disappointment among the fans and the PCB.
The PCB had hoped to host the tournament in Pakistan, but with the BCCI’s decision, the PCB will have to wait for another opportunity to host the event.
A final decision is expected by the month’s end
By the end of the month, a final decision will be made about the tournament’s venues, with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka supporting the choice to make Sri Lanka the venue host.
There is now uncertainty regarding Pakistan’s participation in the tournament because speculations suggest that the country may boycott it.
For the Asia Cup 2023, which will be hosted in Pakistan in August–September, the BCCI had rejected sending its men’s squad there. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) then convened a number of high-level meetings to determine the situation’s direction moving forward.
Despite the tournament being just a few months away, no agreement has been reached with ACC member boards.
Asia Cup is likely to be held on a neutral venue
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have now been reported to support the ACC’s decision to shift the Asia Cup out of Pakistan. Additionally, the two boards have stated their desire for their respective nations to host the Asia Cup. However, a choice has not yet been made in this regard. The likelihood of the event taking place in a neutral venue is very high.
Why did Asia Cup 2023 venue controversy start?
The Indian cricket squad won’t go to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, according to BCCI Secretary Jay Shah last year. Ramiz Raja, a former PCB president, blasted Shah’s remarks and said he might skip this year’s ODI World Cup in India.
In addition, according to a number of media reports, the Asia Cup may be postponed and a competition in Dubai that excludes Pakistan may be held at the same time span instead.
