The BCCI will not support Najam Sethi’s proposed hybrid model of hosting the Asia Cup wherein four preliminary rounds and two super four games will be held in Pakistan while hosting India’s matches and the final game in a neutral venue.
The BCCI will not support Najam Sethi’s proposed hybrid model of hosting the Asia Cup wherein four preliminary rounds and two super four games will be held in Pakistan while hosting India’s matches and the final game in a neutral venue.
It is believed that during an informal discussion with some of the members of the continental body in Ahmedabad, Jay Shah, the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and secretary of the BCCI, made the Indian board’s position clear.
The ACC’s all-powerful executive body must make the final decision for a tournament to take place at a neutral venue, and therein lies the issue.
“Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have already told the PCB that they have no issues playing their games in Pakistan. But India is not keen on supporting the hybrid model. Now, the impasse hasn’t been broken and the final decision will only be taken at the ACC executive board meeting that Jay (Shah) will have to summon,”
an ACC board member said.
The ACC executive body has 25 members — 5 Test-playing nations (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan), 3 with ODI and T20I status, and 17 more with only T20 status.
Could the issue of the hybrid model be put to vote?
“There has to be a middle-of-the-road solution as you can’t put this hybrid model to vote. I mean if six nations are playing the event, what is the locus standi of the 19 other nations who won’t play in the tournament? On what basis will they vote when they have no stake?”
the ACC member said.
There is a logistical issue with the hybrid model. Having the Asia Cup in two countries means double mileage for broadcasters, according to Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi, but the BCCI thinks that it will be a logistical nightmare given that the UAE might not be the neutral venue.
The PCB has already informed the ACC that if the two Indo-Pak matches are played in Sri Lanka, they should bring in at least 0.5 million USD in gate receipts, as the capacity of Galle or Premadasa Stadium isn’t as much as Dubai.
