India’s Asia Cup 2023 Matches To Be Shifted To UAE; PCB To Host Some Games In Pakistan- Reports

In an effort to end the impasse about the venue of the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to offer that India plays its matches in UAE and also the final in case Men in Blue qualify for the same, a PTI report has suggested.

In October 2022, after the 91^st AGM of The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), board secretary Jay Shah announced that the Indian team will not be traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 tournament.

This led to a huge uproar in the Asian cricketing community as former PCB chief Ramiz Raja replied with the threat of not touring India for the ICC World Cup 2023 if India didn’t come to Pakistan. This stand of Pakistan continued when Raja was replaced by Najam Sethi as PCB chief under new PM Shehbaz Sharif.

In the first formal meeting between BCCI secretary Jay Shah and PCB chairman Najam Sethi held in Bahrain on February 4, the discussion regarding the venue of Asia Cup 2023 took place but the final decision was withheld.

PCB Wants To Host The Event And Some Of The Matches At Home: Sources To PTI

Addressing the media on Thursday, Sethi said more discussions on the hosting of the Asia Cup ODI tournament will be held next month on the sidelines of an ICC meeting as the matter “remained unresolved”.

“What can I say about what happened in the Asian Cricket Council board meeting? There was no resolution,” Sethi told reporters on question if Pakistan will host the Asia Cup in September.

The most likely solution, according to sources cited in a PTI report, is that Pakistan will continue to host the Asia Cup, but some games will also be played in the United Arab Emirates, where India may play all of its games, including the championship game, if necessary.

“Sethi made it clear at the ACC meeting that PCB wants to host the event and some of the matches at home,” the source said.

UAE with three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah – are the favorites to host the tournament but a decision has been withheld for the time being.

However, as per a BCCI official, India will surely not travel to Pakistan and the venue is likely to be shifted.

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