Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali opened up about the decision to host the Asia Cup 2025 in India. He pointed out that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah played a huge game and killed two birds with one stone.
Asia Cup 2025 is all set to take place in India. The tournament will be played in T20 format. It will be the first time that the tournament will be played for India since 1990. This means that Pakistan will have to again travel to India for the tournament.
On the other hand, the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played in Pakistan. Clouds are hovering over the participation of the Indian team in the tournament. There have been reports that there will be a hybrid model as BCCI isn't keen to send the team to the neighboring nation.
So far there hasn't been any clarity that India will be travelling to Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board has made a strong statement that they won't be moving the tournament but BCCI hasn't made comments, which might be an indication that they aren't keen to travel to Pakistan.
Basit Ali made a strong statement, saying that Jay Shah should try to shift the competition to some other country. He said that India has given a lollipop to Pakistan so that a hybrid model can be used in both events. Speaking in a video posted on his YouTube channel, he said:
"Well done, Jay Shah. You've killed two birds with one stone. You kill two birds with one stone, but Basit Ali kills three birds with one stone. Now let me give you some free advice. Try to shift the Asia Cup to some other country. Jay Shah could take a U-turn after my show."
"Jay Shah knew that India would have to go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy; otherwise, Pakistan won't come for the Asia Cup. Pakistan won't even go for the T20 World Cup if India says no for the Champions Trophy. To hell with the hybrid model. There could also be another lollipop of India adopting a hybrid model for the Asia Cup so that Pakistan do the same for the Champions Trophy."
Jay Shah is very sharp - Basit Ali
Jay Shah further added that Jay Shah is very sharp but the PCB chairman is in the same league. He admitted that BCCI has realized that they won't be able to get the decision of the 2025 Champions Trophy in BCCI's favor. He added:
"I agree Jay Shah is very sharp, but the guy in front of him, the current PCB chairman, is also in the same league. Now you will have to come forward openly and declare that the Asia Cup is in India, so we would have to go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy."
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to be played from February 19 to March 9, 2025. As per the reports, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore have been decided as three venues by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the Champions Trophy.
