As two of the best cricketing nations, India and Pakistan draw a lot of attention whenever they face each other to reignite their heated rivalry. However, since 2013, India and Pakistan have not visited each other’s countries for a bilateral series due to the tense political relations between the two nations.
There has been much discussion about whether India will travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup to compete in the continental competition, especially after ACC President and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated that the Men in Blue would not travel to Pakistan and that they were looking for an alternative venue.
The Asia Cup 2023 will begin in Pakistan as scheduled, but India will play its matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report by the news agency PTI.
The rest of the tournament will take place in Pakistan. This indicates that the final if India qualifies, will take place in the UAE itself. UAE will again host the jam-packed Asia cup 2023 final, assuming that India makes it there.
India would not travel to Pakistan
India will not visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup, according to Shah, who is also the ACC chairman, who made the announcement in October 2022.
The PCB chairman Najam Sethi and BCCI secretary Jay Shah discussed the Asia Cup 2023 venue during their first official meeting on February 4 in Bahrain, but no decision was made at that time.
It should be noted that in October of last year, Shah had told the media that India would not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and that the event would be moved to a neutral location.
During a press conference, Sethi was questioned regarding the outcomes of the ACC meeting.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Sethi stated that more talks about the hosting of the Asia Cup ODI competition will take place next month outside of an ICC conference because the issue “remained unresolved”.
“What can I say about what happened in the Asian Cricket Council board meeting? There was no resolution,” Sethi told reporters when asked if Pakistan will host the tournament in September.
UAE is likely to host India matches
According to sources familiar with the situation, Pakistan will likely continue to host the Asia Cup, but some games will also be played in the United Arab Emirates, where India may play all of its games, including the championship game, if necessary.
“Sethi made it clear at the ACC meeting that PCB wants to host the event and some of the matches at home,” the source said.
UAE, which has three venues (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah), is the front-runner to host the competition, although the decision has not yet been made.
“A shift of venue has been postponed till March. But be rest assured that with India not going to Pakistan, the tournament will have to be shifted,” according to a senior BCCI official familiar with the matter.
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