Pakistan had the hosting rights for the Asia Cup 2023 however, disputes took the matter to an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting on Saturday (February 4) in Bahrain. A call has been taken, and the tournament is likely to get shifted from Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by ACC chief Jay Shah, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi, and other officials. The final call has not been made, as it will be taken after another meeting in March. In all possibilities, the tournament will be shifted to the UAE. As per sources, Sri Lanka has also been in the reckoning to host it.
“The ACC had a constructive dialogue on the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The Board agreed to continue discussions on operations, timelines, and any other specifics with a view to ensuring the success of the tournament. An update on the matter would be taken on the next ACC Executive Board Meeting to be held in March 2023,” the ACC said in a statement.
Related: “Slap on our cricket system,” Misbah-ul-Haq on re-hiring Mickey Arthur
The debate started after Jay Shah’s statement of shifting the 2023 Asia Cup
The debate started last year after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah’s statement of shifting the 2023 Asia Cup outside Pakistan as the Men in Blue won’t be there. After this remark, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), under the then chief Ramiz Raja, also issued a statement threatening that they won’t send their men to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which India will host in the months of October-November.
Notably, the recent bomb blasts in Peshawar once again raised concerns about hosting matches in Pakistan. At the same time, Pakistan is also going through an economic crisis, and if the 2023 Asia Cup is held in UAE, there are chances for all the member nations to earn apart from broadcasters.
Another decision by the ACC has also been taken related to Afghanistan Cricket Association. The ACC has decided to increase the annual budget allocated for Afghanistan from six to 15 percent and gave assurance of trying to find a way to revive women’s cricket in the country which the Taliban has banned.
In case you missed:
WATCH: Sachin Tendulkar honors World Cup-winning U-19 Women’s team with 5 crore check
![Aaron Ekblad and Brooks Koepka [Image Credit: Michael LoRe/PGA Tour- Twitter]](https://firstsportz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-11-39-120x86.png)
