Najam Sethi: If the BCCI cannot get clearance from its government, Pakistan will also not travel to India
The Asia Cup controversy is giving no indications of an end while PCB recommended that none of the members have demonstrated any intention to look for government freedom for their participation in the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
The Asia Cup controversy is giving no indications of an end and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gave clashing statements.
While the BCCI expressed that the Indian side will not travel to Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, the PCB is dead set on hosting the mega event in their own country. As the discussions proceed, the announcement has reportedly been postponed to March.
A report, however, also highlighted that all the participating nations (in the Asia Cup) have been asked to seek government clearance to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. However, the PCB has come out firing on all cylinders, suggesting no such talk was held during the meeting.
Issuing a strong-worded statement on the ‘report’, PCB recommended that none of the members have demonstrated any intention to look for government freedom for their participation in the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
In its statement, Pakistan Cricket Board wrote:
“Cricinfo, in its story under the headline Decision on Asia Cup venue postponed to March 2023, stated: ‘In addition, all ACC members are believed to have been asked to seek their own government’s positions on whether their teams can travel to Pakistan.’
The PCB wishes to clarify that no such matters were raised in the meeting, nor did any member indicate any intention to seek government clearance for playing in Pakistan. Sri Lanka has recently visited Pakistan in 2017 and 2019, while Bangladesh has toured Pakistan in 2020.
In the 2023-2027 Future Tours Programme (FTP), which has been agreed upon and announced by all ICC Members, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have confirmed their tours to Pakistan.”
As per a report in PTI, The ACC is likely to shift the Asia Cup from Pakistan and decide on a neutral venue in March. On this suggestion, however, PCB chief Najam Sethi has reportedly told Jay Shah that his country
“will not forgo the hosting rights of either the Asia Cup or the Champions Trophy in 2025”.
On top of that he also added:
“If the BCCI cannot get clearance from its government for the Asia Cup, Pakistan will also not travel to India for the (ODI) World Cup.”
