After a Pakistani media report set the “cat among the pigeons” as it were that the BCCI has rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board’s proposal of a hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2023 hosting and is planning to organise a five-nation tournament in the window that will be created in the process, comes the “unofficial” denial.
Indian newswire PTI on Monday quoted Asian Cricket Council sources (read BCCI?) as saying that they have not sent out any such proposal to the ACC member nations.
With Pakistan having been awarded hosting rights for the Asia Cup and setting out plans to organise the tournament in September ahead of the ODI World Cup, which will take place in India, the PCB had proposed a hybrid model to the ACC wherein the Indian team would play their matches outside of Pakistan, while the rest of the teams played in Pakistan.
However, as per the Pakistani media report, the BCCI has asserted that the only option acceptable to world cricket’s richest and most powerful body is that the Asia Cup be completely moved out of Pakistan and played in a neutral country – UAE.
The report further stated that the idea of holding the event in another country has been entirely rejected by the PCB. The rejection of BCCI’s alleged proposition came as the PCB opined that if the issue was not resolved now, then there would be a rerun of it when the ICC Champions Trophy, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in 2025, comes around.
5-nation tournament
In the event that the Asia Cup 2023 does not take place, the BCCI has reportedly been planning for a five-nation tournament in the window vacated by the tournament.
According to reports, a big decision regarding the Asia Cup could be expected in the next few days.
