PCB Chairman Najam Sethi Threatens to Withdraw Pakistan's Name from 2018 Asia Cup

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi has threatened to pull out of the upcoming Asia Cup in 2018 after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) objected to Pakistan hosting for the upcoming edition of the Emerging Talents of Asia Cup.

Pakistan was given the right to host the event at an ACC meeting in Lahore, where BCCI officials were not present. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also joined BCCI in raising objections citing security issues.

PCB Chairman Najam Sethi has threatened to pull out of Asia Cup 2018, which is scheduled to be played in India. He has stated that if the BCCI continues to oppose Pakistan hosting the Emerging team’s tournament, then PCB will boycott the Asia Cup 2018.

“The ACC Development Committee head and Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Thilanga Sumathipala tried to convince India and Bangladesh that they were also invited to attend the meeting [in Lahore] but they did not come. So the committee, with majority members’ votes, went on to make the decision in favour of Pakistan,” Sethi was heard saying.

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“I also raised the point that since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaiting an approval from the government to hold the Asia Cup and wants the visa clearance of all the participating teams, the PCB will decide whether to go to India or not because we are also bound by our government’s clearance,” he further added.

Najam Sethi expressed his delight over the recently proposed FTP of the national side which has earned Pakistan 121 matches in the next four years.

“The PCB, in fact, has done a great job to earn 121 matches for the national team in the next four years and most of them are against strong cricketing nations,” Sethi mentioned.

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Talking about the ongoing battle against BCCI regarding the MoU signed in 2014, which states that both the teams are scheduled to play six tournaments between 2015-2023, BCCI backed out citing political problems.

“If Pakistan wins the case, India will have to give us the matches and for that purpose, the FTP will be changed. And if we lose, the same FTP with some minor changes may go ahead,” concluded Sethi.

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