After months of dilly-dallying, the Jay Shah-led Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has decided to accept the hybrid model as proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the Asia Cup.
As per the model, four matches will be held in Lahore while the rest will take place in Sri Lanka. The tournament will run from August 31 to September 17.
Sources told The Telegraph that Shah, who is also the secretary of the BCCI, agreed to the model in exchange for an assurance from PCB chairman Najam Sethi that Pakistan would tour India for the World Cup in October-November, subject to government clearance. However, as already reported, Pakistan are unwilling to play the big-ticket clash against India in Ahmedabad.
Six teams have been divided into two groups in the Asia Cup with the two top teams from each group proceeding to the Super Four stage. The top two will then clash in the final. Besides India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal are the other teams in the tournament.
India and Pakistan are expected to be in the same group to ensure there are at least three India-Pakistan matches in the 13-match championship. Last year too the arch-rivals had met thrice in the Asia Cup in Dubai.
The venues in Sri Lanka are still undecided because of logistical reasons.
PCB had initially proposed Dubai as the neutral venue but BCCI and other Boards disagreed citing intense heat. Sethi had to finally relent to safeguard PCB’s interests as designated hosts. BCCI too managed to get a quid pro quo in the process — PCB’s conditional promise to tour India. The last time Pakistan hosted the event was in 2008.
“I am elated that our hybrid version for the ACC Asia Cup 2023 has been accepted. This means the PCB will remain as the event host and stage matches in Pakistan with Sri Lanka as the neutral venue,” Sethi said in a release.
“Our passionate fans would have loved to see the India team in action in Pakistan for the first time in 15 years, but we understand the BCCI’s position. Like the PCB, the BCCI also requires government approval and clearance.”
