Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has expressed his support for the stance taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding the issue of the Asia Cup 2023.
In a meeting, Najam Sethi presented the proposed hybrid model to Shehbaz Sharif as a potential solution to the ongoing deadlock between the PCB and the BCCI.
The proposed model suggests that Pakistan would host matches without India. Afterward, the tournament would move to a neutral venue in Sri Lanka or the UAE where India will play all their matches.
This approach aims to keep the Asia Cup alive despite the BCCI’s refusal to send the Men in Blue to the neighboring country, which is the rightful host of the tournament.
While unofficially rejecting the model, the BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah, has expressed a preference for holding the entire tournament at a neutral venue such as Sri Lanka.
During the high-level meeting, the prime minister commended Sethi for his handling of the issue and advised him to avoid confrontation with the Indian cricket authority.
However, the prime minister assured the Pakistan Cricket Board of his support should stronger measures become necessary if the model was rejected by the ACC.
If the ACC rejects the model, it is expected that the PCB may withdraw from the Asia Cup and potentially boycott the World Cup 2023, scheduled to be held in India.
