PCB proposes hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023; India can play at a neutral venue

PCB Chairman Najam Sethi (Source: Twitter)

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday (April 21) revealed the details of the proposed hybrid model of hosting the Asia Cup 2023. The PCB chairman Najam Sethi has confirmed that India can play their Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue while Pakistan and other competing teams play in the host country.

This comes after the Indian Cricket Board announced last year that Team India won't be travelling to Pakistan for the multi-nation tournament. Sethi, who took over as the PCB chairman from former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja, said the board has sent a proposal to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

“We have decided on this hybrid model that Pakistan plays its Asia Cup matches at home and India their matches at a neutral venue and that is our proposal to the Asian Cricket Council," said Sethi during a press conference.

Due to political tensions between the two countries, they stopped playing each other in bilateral series and now only face each other in World or Asian tournaments. For the same reason, the national governing body of Indian cricket refused to travel to their neighboring country and demanded that the Asia Cup be shifted to a neutral venue.

The tournament between the Asian countries is scheduled to be held in September, but the ACC has not yet announced the fixtures due to uncertainty over the venue. Apart from Pakistan and India, the other nations competing are Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and a team from the ACC qualifiers, which are currently taking place in Nepal.

"We have been advised to go to India for World Cup"

Meanwhile, the PCB chairman expressed hope that the visit of his country's foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to India next month will boost relations between the two countries. Zardari will arrive in Goa for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council. Sethi also stated that someone advised them to travel to India for the 2023 World Cup.

“We have been told that, maybe, the ice will keep on melting. If this happens when the Champions Trophy is held in Pakistan in 2025, India would consider playing in Pakistan. We have been advised to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and also go to India for the World Cup," said Sethi.

“Our government has imposed no restrictions about playing against India. But I can say right now that public mood is, we are not needy and we can stand on our own feet financially and we want to play cricket with India honourably. We are also negotiating with the ACC," he added.