The ACC executive meeting in Bahrain did not reach a decision on Pakistan’s Asia Cup hosting rights.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) held an executive board meeting in Bahrain on Saturday, with the main agenda item being a decision on this year’s Asia Cup hosting rights. However, the meeting did not result in a breakthrough, and the topic was postponed until the next ACC executive board meeting, which will be held in March 2023.
Since ACC president and BCCI secretary Jay Shah rattled the PCB in October last year, the Asia Cup 2023 has been clouded by uncertainty. Since then, the two boards have been at odds, with former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja threatening to withdraw from this year’s 50-over World Cup in India.
The most recent ACC meeting, held at the request of PCB chief Najam Sethi, was inconclusive, and the board will make a decision on the Asia Cup 2023 venue in a month. The board decided to include teams from Japan (Japan Cricket Association) and Indonesia (Persutan Cricket Indonesia) in the ACC pathway tournaments during the meeting.
“The ACC held a constructive discussion about the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The Board agreed to continue discussions on operations, timelines, and any other specifics in order to ensure the tournament’s success. “An update on the situation will be provided at the next ACC Executive Board Meeting in March 2023,” according to the ACC statement.
According to reports, the Asia Cup 2023 could be relocated to the UAE.
Several media reports indicate that the venue will be moved away from Pakistan because the Indian board does not want to send their players to the neighbouring country during a time of tension between the two countries. According to an anonymous BCCI official, the tournament cannot afford to lose high-profile players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill, making the UAE a likely candidate to host the continental tournament this year.
