The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi has threatened that Pakistan might boycott the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 to be played in India if they lose the right to host the Asia Cup at home.
The deteriorating political ties between India and Pakistan over the past ten years have made bilateral cricket a casualty, and the two neighbors now only face each other in multi-team tournaments held in neutral locations.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has offered to allow India to play their matches in the United Arab Emirates in what has been labeled a “hybrid model” as they have decided against visiting Pakistan for the Asia Cup in September due to safety concerns.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to respond formally to the offer, Sethi stated that India wanted the entire tournament relocated away from Pakistan.
“They want all the matches in a neutral venue. BCCI should take a good, rational decision so that we don’t have any problems going forward. India should not be looking at a situation where we end up boycotting the Asia Cup and also the World Cup, and then India ends up boycotting the Champions Trophy. That will be a huge mess,” Sethi told Reuters.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have also come out against playing in the UAE, citing the heat and logistics issues, heightening speculation in local media that the Asian Cricket Council may look to move the entire tournament out of Pakistan.
Sethi said that was “not acceptable” and reaffirmed that Pakistan may boycott the World Cup if that happened.
“That’s a very real possibility, of course,” he added.
The Asia Cup is scheduled in September between 6 nations including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal.
This (Hybrid Model) Is The Solution Going Forward: Najam Sethi
Should India agree to the hybrid model for the Asia Cup, Sethi said, Pakistan would expect reciprocal terms for their team at the World Cup in October and November. He said that even PCB had concerns about playing in India and wanted its World Cup games in Bangladesh or UAE.
“We also have security concerns for our team in India. So let Pakistan play its matches in Dhaka or Mirpur, or UAE or in Sri Lanka. “This is the solution going forward, until such time that India agrees to play Pakistan, in Pakistan and outside Pakistan, bilaterally,” he added.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah was not immediately available for comment but neither the Indian board nor the International Cricket Council (ICC) have said they are even considering staging any World Cup matches outside India.