Sri Lanka has emerged as the frontrunner to host the multi-team event in September 2023, in a key development surrounding the 2023 Asia Cup. According to the Indian Express, with the BCCI refusing to send a team over the border for the scheduled event and the UAE being ruled out due to adverse weather conditions during that month, Sri Lanka appears to be a potential destination to hold Asia Cup.
We previously reported that the BCCI gained backing from its close friends in the cricket boards of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan for a) not sending the team to Pakistan, and b) staging the 2023 Asia at a neutral venue or outside of Pakistan. With an official announcement on the much-discussed 2023 Asia Cup destination expected by the end of this month, it remains to be seen what stance PCB will take.
Previously, following the conclusion of the 2021T20WorldCup in the UAE, the ACC, chaired by Jay Shah – who also serves as the BCCI secretary – chose to award Pakistan the opportunity to host the AsiaCup for the first time since 2008.
Tensions rise between BCCI and PCB over India’s refusal to tour Pakistan
The BCCI, however, declined to send the team to Pakistan after receiving a red signal from the Narendra Modi-led government.
The PCB’s president, Najam Sethi, then proposed a hybrid format in which the Indian team would play its matches outside of Pakistan – to which the Indian cricket board declined, citing that it would cause friction between the BCCI and the PCB.
After the BCCI refused to accept anything the PCB had to offer, the Pakistan board replied by threatening the BCCI with a boycott of the 2023 World Cup in India later this year.
“In case of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the Pakistan government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer,” Sethi said, as quoted in Geo News.