Tag: Asia Cup

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Zaka Ashraf on Saturday, spoke to the national men’s cricket team captain Babar Azam and extended well wishes ahead of their Test tour of Sri Lanka.

According to the details, the newly-appointed Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf had a telephonic conversation with Babar Azam and extended well wishes for their first World Test Championship (WTC) assignment and Asia Cup.

“Extend my best wishes to the entire team,” Ashraf told Babar. “We are hopeful that the team will triumph in the tour of Sri Lanka and the Asia Cup,” he added.

Babar Azam congratulated Zaka Ashraf on assuming the charge of PCB management committee chairman and vowed to lift the national cricket team to glory in the Asia Cup.

“Pakistan won the Asia Cup in your previous tenure and by the will of Almighty Allah, we will win it again,” said Babar Azam.

“We will leave no stone unturned to take the Pakistan team to new heights. We will take the field with great energy, Pakistan captain added.

Pakistan’s Sri Lanka Tests-bound contingent is due to depart for Sri Lanka tonight where they will play two Tests from July 16 to July 28.

It is worth mentioning Pakistan will start their tour of Sri Lanka with a two-day warm-up match, scheduled on July 10 and 11.

The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is scheduled to commence on July 16 while the second will embark on July 24.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo.

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LAHORE: The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee Najam Sethi on Friday, stated that the national team will play two home matches in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.

Najam Sethi addressed a press conference here at the PCB headquarters, alongside COO Salman Naseer and hinted at the possibility of Pakistan playing a Super 4s match at home.

Notably, as per the schedule revealed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Pakistan was due to host the first four matches, more likely group-stage matches, while the rest of the event including the final was scheduled to be hosted in Sri Lanka.

If so, Pakistan would only be able to face Nepal in their own backyard in the Asia Cup since the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) had categorically denied touring the country for the multi-lateral event.

However, Najam Sethi confirmed that Pakistan would play a minimum of two matches in their home ground before jokingly stating a word to wise is enough while replying to a reporter, who asked if Pakistan would only play one match at home against Nepal.

“No, there would be two matches of Pakistan. Minimum two,” said Sethi.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and joint-host Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

This year’s Asia Cup was originally scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. However, the BCCI refused to send their team to Pakistan for the continental event on political grounds.

“Neutral venue for Asia Cup is not unprecedented and we have decided that we will not travel to Pakistan,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated.

“I have decided that we will play at a neutral venue,” he maintained.

The BCCI then made several efforts to take the hosting rights from Pakistan and to hold Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was determined not to give away the hosting rights of the tournament and thus the chairman of the PCB management committee Najam Sethi came up with a hybrid model.

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MUMBAI: Former Indian cricketer and renowned commentator Aakash Chopra acknowledged the importance of Pakistan in the Asia Cup, stating it would not be enjoyable without them.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra shared that the decision of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) regarding this year’s Asia Cup did not surprise him much since the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) had refused to travel to Pakistan.

“I am not a wee bit surprised because India had refused to go and they are not going. Pakistan will also come to play the World Cup, there is no doubt about that because you cannot do like that in ICC events that you won’t play,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra also insisted on the importance of Pakistan in the Asia Cup and acknowledged it would not be enjoyable without them by referring to a pizza without a topping.

“You can flex your muscles slightly in the Asia Cup, you can say that you won’t play and that other teams can play without you if they want. Asia Cup without Pakistan is like pizza without the topping,” said Chopra.

“It won’t be enjoyable. So you want Pakistan to be there in the Asia Cup,” he added.

It is worth mentioning here that after a year-long tug-of-war between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and BCCI regarding the venue of the Asia Cup, the continental council has finally opted to choose to go with the hybrid model and announced the schedule of the Asia Cup 2023.

The multi-national tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka despite massive opposition by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI).

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and joint-host Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

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The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Thursday, accepted the hybrid model by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and confirmed the venues and schedule of the Asia Cup 2023.

“We are delighted to announce that the Asia Cup 2023 will be held from 31st August to 17th September 2023 and will see the elite teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal, compete in a total of 13 exciting ODI matches,” the ACC said in a statement.

The multi-national tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka despite massive opposition by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI).

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and joint-host Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

This year’s Asia Cup was originally scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. However, the BCCI refused to send their team to Pakistan for the continental event on political grounds.

“Neutral venue for Asia Cup is not unprecedented and we have decided that we will not travel to Pakistan,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated.

“I have decided that we will play at a neutral venue,” he maintained.

The BCCI then made several efforts to take the hosting rights from Pakistan and to hold Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was determined not to give away the hosting rights of the tournament and thus the chairman of the PCB management committee Najam Sethi came up with a hybrid model.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) proposed hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2023 is likely to be approved by the Asian Cricket Council, with Sri Lanka opted as the neutral venue. 

According to the sources, all member boards of the ACC gave approval to the hybrid model suggested by the PCB, in which the first four matches will be played in Pakistan while the rest of the tournament will be held at a neutral venue.

The tournament will take place between September 1 and 17 and the final will only be played at a neutral venue if India is involved.

An official announcement in this regard will be made in the next few days.

The likely assent is a major breakthrough in a standstill which had engulfed the Asia Cup 2023 for a while due to a deadlock between the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the hosting of the tournament.

This year’s Asia Cup is originally scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. However, the BCCI refused to send their team to Pakistan for the continental event on political grounds.

The BCCI since then made several efforts to take the hosting rights from Pakistan and to hold Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was determined not to give away the hosting rights of the tournament and thus the chairman of the PCB management committee Najam Sethi came up with a hybrid model.

As per the PCB-proposed model, Pakistan will host the four to six group matches which will feature Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan.

However, the BCCI has refused the hybrid proposal for both events and once again demanded to shift the Asia Cup entirely from Pakistan.

Following BCCI’s reported refusal, the final decision regarding the venue of the Asia Cup was likely to be taken on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) final. However, no development was reported on the deadlock.

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The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah revealed that the final decision regarding the debated venue for this year’s Asia Cup will be made after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

According to the details, the final call on the Asia Cup venue will be made on the sidelines of the IPL Final, scheduled on May 28, anticipated to be attended by some high-profile representatives of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

“As of now, the decision with regards to hosting of Asia Cup hasn’t yet been finalised. We are busy with IPL but the top dignitaries of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Bangladesh and Afghanistan Cricket Board are coming to watch the IPL final. We will have a discussion and take a final decision in due course,” Jay Shah told Press Trust of India (PTI).

This year’s Asia Cup is originally scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. However, the BCCI refused to send their team to Pakistan for the continental event on political grounds.

The BCCI since then made several efforts to take the hosting rights from Pakistan and to hold Asia Cup at a neutral venue.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was determined not to give away the hosting rights of the tournament and thus the chairman of the PCB management committee Najam Sethi came up with a hybrid model.

As per the PCB-proposed model, Pakistan will host the four to six group matches which will feature Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan.

In the latest turn of events, the ACC sources have reportedly accepted the PCB’s hybrid model which involves India playing all their matches at neutral venues.

Furthermore, the PCB aims to host the second phase of the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) reportedly raised reservations over the aforementioned venue due to extreme heat in the region.

“ACC head Jay Shah will summon an executive body meeting where a formal announcement will take place. The PCB doesn’t mind playing India at a neutral venue,” an ACC source told PTI.

“While they would prefer Dubai because it would lead to more gate receipts, it is open to playing in another country (read Sri Lanka) provided the ACC matches the gate receipts amount (USD 0. 5 million) that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) received in 2022 from the Indo-Pak games in Dubai,” the ACC source added.

It is worth mentioning here that the potential window for this year’s Asia Cup is from September 1 to 11.

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Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Management Committee Najam Sethi has confirmed that Pakistan will not play their 2023 World Cup matches in India if BCCI does not allow their team to travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup.

Amid the ongoing tussle between the two cricket boards over the hosting of the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, Sethi stated that PCB had presented a hybrid model keeping in mind India’s reservation over travelling to Pakistan.

However, he said, the same model would also be applied to the World Cup 2023 and Champions Trophy 2025.

“Our government will not allow us to play World Cup in India because their government stopped BCCI to send their team to Pakistan for Asia Cup,” he said in an interview with an Indian sports channel on Thursday.

Sethi revealed that he recently held a few meetings with an ACC representative in Dubai and proposed another hybrid model for the tournament since the earlier model was rejected by India.

“Hybrid model is a compromise but we are ready for it. We have offered to hold Asia Cup in two phases. In the first stage, four teams other than India will come to Pakistan. After that, we all will go to a neutral venue to play the rest of the matches including the final,” he explained.

“If the hybrid model is accepted for Asia Cup, then this will apply to World Cup too. We will play our matches during World Cup in Bangladesh or somewhere else.”

“Also, Champions Trophy 2025 will adopt the same model. It will make things simple for everyone. Meanwhile, if at any stage India agree to come to Pakistan, then we will also go to play World Cup there,” added the PCB head.

Moreover, he also hit out at Sri Lanka and Bangladesh boards for changing their stance on the hybrid model, warning Pakistan will back out of the Asia Cup if the tournament is completely shifted from Pakistan.

“BCCI secretary Jay Shah had asked in ACC meeting in Bahrain whether someone has a problem with touring Pakistan and no one said anything,” Sethi revealed.

“I think Sri Lankan Cricket Board want their country to be a neutral venue and we are ready to discuss it only if they accept the hybrid model” he added.

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KARACHI: The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee Najam Sethi, spoke out against the protracted standoff over the Asia Cup and reaffirmed his commitment to holding onto the hosting rights.

Sethi, in an interview with a local sports channel, categorically stated that there is no chance that the PCB will lose the hosting rights of the Asia Cup and suffer huge financial loss.

“It is simple, we worked out a plan to host Asia Cup on a hybrid model. If India don’t want to play in Pakistan, we will host them at a neutral venue,” he said.

“We presented the hybrid model in the ACC meeting. Pakistan and India will play each other at least twice. This match generates more than half of the revenue. We have calculated the extra budget and told ACC about it.

“If they [India] are agreed to play in Pakistan, they are welcome. If they want to play at a neutral venue, we are ready. There is no option other than hosting this event otherwise we will not play.”

The PCB management committee chair further revealed that the cricket board has completed its planning including the schedule of the tournament, based on the hybrid model and also presented it in the ACC meeting.

“We have prepared a schedule and already presented it in the ACC meeting. We have also made a plan for logistics. On our side, everything is final. We just need a green signal,” he shared.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan for the aforementioned tournament on political grounds.

The BCCI maintained their stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup, while the PCB was adamant that if they do not, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.

Earlier, a report emerged that the two cricket boards were gradually moving towards a compromise and had nearly agreed to host India’s matches on a neutral venue while the rest of the Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan.

As per the latest development, however, the BCCI has refused the hybrid proposal for both events and once again demanded to shift the Asia Cup entirely from Pakistan.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday clarified the position taken by its Chairman Management Committee Najam Sethi regarding the holding of Asia Cup 2023 at a “neutral” venue instead of in the host country Pakistan.

Referring to Sethi’s media talk in Rawalpindi/Islamabad on Thursday, the board said the PCB chief briefed the reporters on the hybrid model he had presented to the ACC officials for the ACC Asia Cup to end the impasse that had been created following the BCCI’s decision not to send its team to Pakistan.

“This proposal – to play India’s matches at a neutral venue and the rest in Pakistan – is under discussions within the ACC.” said Sethi.

“At no stage during Thursday’s media interaction, did I give any reference to the ICC or make any remarks on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled in October. This matter has not been mooted or discussed at any ICC forum so far.” he maintained

Moreover,  the PCB expressed its disappointment over misquoting, misinterpreting and misrepresenting Sethi’s comments by a leading English-language newspaper.

“(It) gave the impression that PCB’s hybrid model was presented and discussed at the ICC, which is factually incorrect. At this stage, the PCB is only in discussions with the ACC over the hosting of the ACC Asia Cup and no discussions regarding the World Cup have taken place with the ICC.” said the PCB statement.

“This is not to say that the hybrid model will not be advocated at the proper ICC forum at the right time.” it concluded

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SHARJAH: The General Manager of Cricket for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Wasim Khan asserted that Pakistan may play their matches of the upcoming ODI World Cup at a neutral venue.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan for the aforementioned tournament on political grounds.

The BCCI maintained their stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup, while the PCB was adamant that if they do not, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.

In the latest development, however, reported by ESPN Cricinfo, PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are gradually moving towards a compromise after an initial standoff over the hosting of the Asian event.

The news reports claimed that two boards have nearly agreed to host India matches outside Pakistan while the rest of the matches will be played in the country.

Meanwhile, former CEO of the PCB Wasim shared his prediction regarding how this deadlock will unfold in an exclusive interview with ARY News on the sidelines of the recently-concluded T20I series between Pakistan and Afghanistan here and claimed that Pakistan might also play their world cup matches on a neutral venue.

“I don’t know if it would take place here on in a different country but a neutral venue is highly likely,” responded Wasim in a question regarding the likely neutral venue for India’s Asia Cup fixtures.

“I don’t think that Pakistan will play their matches in India. I think their matches will also be held at a neutral venue just like India’s Asia Cup matches,” Wasim concluded.

It may be noted here that the uncertainty around the 2023 Asia Cup began in October last year when the ACC president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and has since been trying to shift the tournament to a neutral venue.

An emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council was held in this regard in Bahrain last month but failed to reach a breakthrough.

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