The BCCI on Tuesday (October 18) confirmed that Team India won’t be touring Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup and that the continental tournament will be played at a neutral venue. Speaking to the media after the BCCI’s AGM, the board’s secretary Jay Shah made the mega announcement. He is also the president of ACC.
“We will have Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It is the government which decides over the permission of our team visiting Pakistan so we won’t comment on that but for the 2023 Asia Cup, it is decided that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue,” Shah told ANI.
The BCCI’s stand has drawn strong reactions from the Pakistan cricket fraternity and many former cricketers are upset with the board’s decision. Salman Butt has become the latest cricketer to criticise BCCI.
The former Pakistan captain asked if there was any ICC to have a look at it and then called for the Pakistan Cricket Board to show some strength. “Pehle mujhe ye bataayein, kya ICC exist karta hai (firstly tell me, does ICC even exist?) Is it neutral? Is there no influence there? Is India not the heavyweight there because they bring more financial backup to ICC?.”
“It was expected that India would say no. The solution to it should’ve been decided earlier. This happens everytime. The focus should be on the cricket so that fans and cricketers don’t get affected. If there are political tensions, both teams should avoid touring one another. It shouldn’t be that Pakistan tour India, but the latter doesn’t come to Pakistan. PCB should show some strength, this is their chance.”
Now that the BCCI has confirmed that Team India won’t tour Pakistan, 2023 Asia Cup looks set to be played in UAE again. In 2018, India was scheduled to host the tournament but it was shifted to UAE. In 2022, Sri Lanka played the hosts as the tournament was again shifted to UAE.
Even though PCB has threatened to pull out of future ICC events in India, there’s no doubt that the 2023 World Cup and other events will be played in the country only.
