The tension between the Indian and Pakistan cricket boards seems to have grown further as the respective boards have come out and given statements that the other side has not liked.
Yesterday, Indian Cricket Board secretary Jay Shah said that they would prefer to play the Asia Cup on neutral venues and not in Pakistan. He had said, “India will not travel to Pakistan. It will be held at a neutral venue. I am stating this as president of the Cricket Council of Asia. We can’t go there, they can’t come here. In the past too, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue.”
Angered at India’s stance on the upcoming Asia Cup 2023, the Pakistan cricket board also mulls pulling out of the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to be hosted by India next year.
“The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hardball because it is also aware that the Apex Cricket Body and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team events,” a senior OCB source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the Apex Cricket Body board meeting in Melbourne next month,” a spokesperson said.
Hosting rights were awarded by the board and not the president- PCB Source
One insider has further said that the Pakistan board is surprised at the statement since there is nearly a year left before the Asia Cup 2023. “The PCB officials are surprised at the timing of Jay Shah’s statement because there is still nearly a year to go before the Asia Cup is held in Pakistan in September 2023,” an official said.
The PCB source has also asked for an explanation of the statement and said, “The PCB is wondering in what capacity has Jay Shah given the statement that the ACC will look to relocate the Asia Cup to UAE out of Pakistan because the hosting rights were awarded by the executive board of the ACC, not the President,” the PCB source said.
