Pakistan was to host the Asia Cup in September this year, which was to be played in ODI format and would serve as a preparation for the World Cup.
Image Credit source: AFP
Despite all the efforts, claims and big talk, the hosting of the Asia Cup 2023 has slipped out of Pakistan’s hands. After the Board of Control for Cricket in India had already refused to go to Pakistan for the tournament, it was decided to move the tournament out of Pakistan, but the Pakistan Cricket Board was trying its best. As part of this effort, an emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council was also held on Saturday, February 4, in which it became clear that the tournament will not be held in Pakistan and the reason for this is not only the attitude of the BCCI but also the poor financial condition of Pakistan itself.
The BCCI and PCB, which have been at loggerheads since October last year on the Asia Cup issue, met for the first time on Saturday. An emergency meeting of the ACC was held in Bahrain on the request of PCB chief Najam Sethi, in which BCCI secretary Jay Shah and Najam Sethi met. In the same meeting of ACC, it has been decided that the decision on the alternative venue for the Asia Cup ODI tournament will be taken in March.
Decision on new place in March
The right to host the 2023 Asia Cup was initially given to Pakistan and it was to be held in September 2023 but ACC chairman Shah announced in October last year that India would not tour Pakistan. Since then there was a lot of ruckus and now it is clear that the tournament will be held outside Pakistan. Three venues in the United Arab Emirates – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – are strong contenders to host the tournament but the decision has been put on hold for the time being.
What a tournament without Kohli-Rohit
A senior BCCI official aware of the meeting in Bahrain told PTI, “The ACC members met today and there was a very positive discussion.” But the decision on shifting the venue was postponed till March. But be assured that India is not going to Pakistan, the tournament itself will be shifted somewhere else. Without players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, sponsors will withdraw from the tournament.
Pakistan’s bad condition is also the reason
In fact, not only the attitude of BCCI, but Pakistan’s own bad condition has also become a major reason for this. An ACC insider said that Sethi had recently become the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and if he backed out in the very first meeting, it would have reflected badly in his country. Pakistan is currently facing economic crisis and inflation. Organizing a big tournament like Asia Cup will prove to be a loss deal for PCB, even if ACC grants for it. Therefore, strategically if the tournament is held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), then there is every possibility that all the member countries will also get their share from the broadcast revenue.
In another decision, the ACC has increased the annual budget given to the Afghanistan Cricket Association from six to 15 percent. The ACC assured that it will help the Afghanistan Board in every possible way so that women’s cricket can be restored in the country. The Taliban has banned women from playing.