According to reports, the Asia Cup 2023 scheduling announcement by the BCCI secretary and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Jay Shah has angered the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The Asia Cup schedule and the trophy were announced at a spectacular ceremony that the PCB president Zaka Ashraf organised on July 19, Wednesday, in Lahore. Also present were various former and current members of the Pakistani national squad.
However, half an hour before the start of the event, Shah announced the schedule on social media.
“The PCB had a clear understanding with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) (that) it would release the schedule of the Asia Cup, five minutes after the ceremony started in Lahore. But unfortunately, half-an-hour before the ceremony started around 7.15 P.M, Jay Shah had announced it on social media,” PCB source told PTI.
The source claimed that Jay Shah’s move to release the timetable ruined the PCB ceremony, which was held but lost significance because the schedule was already public. The ACC was informed that there was a misunderstanding after the board expressed its displeasure.
“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, so Jay Shah’s announcement was a shock,” the source said.
Some In PCB Think Jay Shah Retaliated For Unprofessionalism Shown By Zaka Ashraf And Ehsan Mazari
However, according to a second source, it looked like Jay Shah settled scores with the PCB for the impoliteness displayed by Chief Ashraf and the sports minister, Ahsan Mazari, during their meeting in Durban at the ICC AGM.
“It appears as if Jay Shah settled scores after the confusion and questions he had to face over, whether he had accepted an invitation from Zaka to visit Pakistan for the Asia Cup matches which was widely circulated by Mazari and the PCB in the media,” the source said.
The Asia Cup is set to begin on August 30 in Multan with a match between Nepal and Pakistan, the hosts. On September 2nd, India and Pakistan will face off in Sri Lanka.
Three of the league stage matches and one of the Super 4s stage matches will be held in Pakistan, but the remaining games involving India and the championship game will be held in Sri Lanka.