On Wednesday, July 19th, the PCB hosted a ceremony in Lahore to showcase the trophy and announce the Asia Cup schedule. However, the schedule was revealed by ACC President Jay Shah 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the competition.
The Asia Cricket Council president and secretary of the BCCI, Jay Shah, announced the schedule of the next Asia Cup 2023 before the PCB’s own official event in Lahore earlier this week. The PCB has expressed its displeasure with this action. A few former Pakistan cricketers and the PCB’s Cricket Management Committee (CMC), which is led by Zaka Ashraf, attended an event the PCB hosted on Wednesday, July 19 evening in Lahore to announce the Asia Cup schedule and showcase the trophy.
Shah, on the other hand, released the itinerary on social media half an hour before the event began. “The PCB agreed with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that the Asia Cup schedule would be released five minutes after the ceremony began in Lahore.” “However, half an hour before the ceremony began at 7.15 p.m., Jay Shah had announced it on social media,” a trustworthy board source told PTI.
According to the source, Jay Shah’s decision to release the timetable ruined the PCB’s ceremony, which was held but lost meaning because the schedule was already public.
The source also stated that the PCB had complained to the ACC about the occurrence but had been informed that there had been a miscommunication.
The insider stated, “Jay Shah’s announcement was a shock. The ACC’s explanation was about misunderstandings over the time difference and all that, but the thing is, India is half an hour ahead of Pakistan time.”
Another board source claimed that it appeared as though Shah had made amends for the unprofessional handling of the meeting between Shah and PCB chairman Ashraf during the ICC annual meeting in Durban by Ahsan Mazari and the sports minister.
The insider said: “It seems like Jay Shah made amends following the confusion and questions he had to deal with regarding whether he had accepted an offer from Zaka to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup matches, which was highly publicised by Mazari and the PCB in the media.
The opening match of the Asia Cup will be played on August 30 in Multan between Nepal and the hosts, Pakistan.
On September 2, Kandy will host the eagerly awaited match between Group A opponents India and Pakistan.
Four of the 13 games, including the first Super 4s match, will be played in Pakistan; the other nine games, including the championship game, will be played in Sri Lanka.
