Asia Cup 2023: "We Have Been Advised To Play At Neutral Venue" - Najam Sethi Speaks On The Upcoming Tournament

Last Update on: April 26th, 2023 at 03:18 pm

Najam Sethi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has shared details about a proposal that has been presented to the Asian Cricket Council concerning the hosting of the Asia Cup 2023.

Given that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced last year that India would not travel to Pakistan to participate in the tournament, the PCB has proposed a hybrid model.

Under this proposed model, Pakistan would host their matches on their home ground, while India would play their matches at a neutral venue. The proposal has been submitted to the Asian Cricket Council, and it remains to be seen whether it will be accepted.

The Asia Cup is a biennial tournament featuring teams from Asia, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and others. It is one of the most significant cricket tournaments in the region and is highly anticipated by fans of the sport. With the proposed hybrid model, it is hoped that the Asia Cup 2023 can still be held and enjoyed by cricket fans worldwide, despite the current logistical challenges.

Also Read: PAK vs NZ: “Pakistan Have The Talent To Win The World Cup” – Mickey Arthur

Our Government Has Made No Restrictions: Najam Sethi

Due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) declined to travel to Pakistan last year and requested that the Asia Cup tournament be moved to a neutral venue.

“We have decided on this hybrid model that Pakistan plays its Asia Cup matches at home and India their matches at a neutral venue and that is our proposal to the Asian Cricket Council.”

“We have been told that, maybe, the ice will keep on melting. If this happens when the Champions Trophy is held in Pakistan in 2025, India would consider playing in Pakistan. We have been advised to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and also go to India for the World Cup,”

Also Read: “This Is As Crazy As A Clown In A Village Circus” – Ramiz Raja Slams PCB Chairman Najam Sethi Over Mickey Arthur’s Appointment

“Our government has imposed no restrictions about playing against India. But I can say right now that public mood is, we are not needy and we can stand on our own feet financially and we want to play cricket with India honorably. We are also negotiating with the ACC,”

“We feel this hybrid experiment can also be applied when it is time for the World Cup. Our stance is that everything should be on a reciprocal basis. In the old times, yes there were security issues in Pakistan. But now there are no issues, so what is India’s excuse for not playing in Pakistan,”

The continental tournament, which is a significant event in the cricket calendar, is scheduled to take place in September and is expected to serve as ideal preparation for the ODI World Cup later this year in India. However, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has not yet released the fixtures for the tournament due to uncertainty surrounding the location of the event.

Also Read: PCB’s Najam Sethi-Led Management Committee Given Extension

According to Najam Sethi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, there is a general sentiment among the public in Pakistan that their national cricket team should play against India on an equal footing.

Najam Sethi did not disclose which government officials, if any, are advising the PCB on this matter. Additionally, Sethi stated that if the proposed hybrid model is implemented in the Asia Cup, then he believes India should reciprocate and adopt a similar approach for the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled later this year.