Pakistan Confident Of Hosting India In The 2023 Asia Cup: Ehsan Mani

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani has confirmed that Asia Cup will be not be staged this year and that the continental tournament will be hosted by Sri Lanka in 2022 followed by Pakistan in 2023.

The Asia Cup was originally scheduled to take place last year but it was eventually postponed due to Covid-19. The tournament was then scheduled for June this year but Mani said both its not possible to stage it at that time as Pakistan will be busy in their assignments while Team India will be in England for the ICC World Test Championship final.

“There is no question of the Asia Cup being held this year as we are very busy and don’t have time to spare this year. There was a small window in June in which we are going to play the rest of the Pakistan Super League matches,” Ehsan Mani said as quoted by PTI.

“The Indian team will play the final of the Test Championship against New Zealand. They have to go to England two weeks before and stay in quarantine so the Indian team is also busy,” he added. “In 2022 Sri Lanka will have it (Asia Cup) and in 2023 Pakistan will be hosting the regional event,” he confirmed.

Ehsan Mani is also confident about the tensions easing between the two neighboring countries and Pakistan hosting India in the 2023 Asia Cup. Mani said that India visiting Pakistan will be a huge shot in the arm for Pakistan cricket.

“I am optimistic that by time the political relations between the two countries would have improved and this would pave the way for the Indian team to come to Pakistan,” Mani said.

“In recent days there has been some positive signs through backdoor channels and hopefully the ice will melt in the relations,” he added.

The PCB further stated that the Asian Cricket Council is guaranteed a proper income only if all the teams take part in the regional competition. He said that the revenue generated via Asia Cup will be used to promote cricket in association nations.

Ehsan Mani also confirmed that the ICC has assured the PCB about Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup later this year.

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