Before agreeing to send the Pakistani team to India for the ODI World Cup in 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Najam Sethi, is expected to request a written guarantee from the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) Secretary, Jay Shah, regarding India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2025. Both cricket governing bodies have been at odds with one another about choosing the host nation for the Asia Cup in 2023.
Since India hasn’t visited Pakistan since 2008 for political reasons, Jay Shah rejected India’s request to participate in the event after Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the tournament in 2022. Therefore, the BCCI prefers that the competition be held at a neutral site outside of Pakistan. Because he is concerned about India’s position, Najam Sethi has repeatedly declined to submit his team for the ODI World Cup 2023, which will take place in India later this year. IndiaTV reported that the PCB is requesting a formal commitment from BCCI’s General Secretary that, if the World Cup matches are held in India, India will travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.
Najam Sethi will travel to Dubai on May 8 in order to discuss the issue further with representatives from the ACC and ICC.
According to a PCB source, the chairman has consulted with the Pakistani government and has developed a hybrid plan for the Asia Cup that he would present to the ACC.
Sethi recently met with a few representatives of the government and asked for their opinions on whether Pakistan should compete in the Asia Cup if it is not staged in Lahore and Dubai, as the PCB had recommended in their hybrid model plan to the ACC. The PCB source was quoted by IndiaTV as saying that Sethi “is expected to make it very clear to the ACC members that either they accept Pakistan’s hybrid proposal or the PCB will not participate in the competition this year if it is moved from Pakistan.”
No Asia Cup matches will take place in Pakistan, and no Pakistani team will compete. Board Source
The insider also revealed that Sethi is not prepared to wait any longer for the Asia Cup venues to be decided, and Pakistan will not take part in the competition if they do not get the hosting rights.
Sethi seems to have come to the realization that it’s time to make some tough choices and isn’t waiting around for the ACC to finalize the Asia Cup’s venues and schedule any longer. No more Asia Cup matches in Pakistan, and no Pakistani team competing in the Asia Cup, Sethi has made clear, the source continued.
Since their last bilateral series in 2012–2013, India and Pakistan have only competed against each other in international competitions like the Asia Cup or World Cups. When India last visited Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008, the 26/11 bombings in Mumbai ruined bilateral relations. Cricket fans from both countries hope that the two boards can come to an agreement in the upcoming weeks so that they can see appetizing matches between the two nations in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup.
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