India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2023, raising questions as to where the tournament might now be held. The development occurred on the day of the BCCI’s annual general meeting in Mumbai, where BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, suggested that next year’s Asia Cup would have to be played at a neutral venue.
The ACC is yet to discuss the issue after which a final decision will be taken.
“The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue,” Shah told the media after the AGM. “I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can’t go there [to Pakistan], they can’t come here. In the past also Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue.” The new set of BCCI office bearers – president Roger Binny, treasurer Ashish Shelar and Rajiv Shukla, who was re-elected as board vice-president – where present when Shah spoke to the media.
India and Pakistan last played each other at the 2022 Asia Cup in UAE in August-September this year, and they are due to face off in the T20 World Cup on October 23.
More to follow …