LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wednesday expressed surprise and disappointment over a decision made by Board of Cricket Control India (BCCI) to not visit the neighbouring country to participate in the 2023 Asia Cup tournament.
“The overall impact of such statements have the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities, and can impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC Events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle,” PCB said in its statement.
The reaction comes a day after ACC President Jay Shah, the son of Indian PM Modi’s close aide Amit Shah, announced that India will not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
The ACC President made the remarks about shifting of next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue “without any discussion or consultation with the Board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (event host) and without any thoughts towards their long-term consequences and implications”.
“After having presided over the ACC meeting during which Pakistan was awarded the ACC Asia Cup with an overwhelming support and response from the ACC Board Members, Mr Shah’s statement of shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally. This is contrary to the philosophy and spirit for which the Asian Cricket Council was formed in September 1983 – a united Asian cricket body to safeguard the interests of the its Members and organise, develop, and promote the game of cricket in Asia.”
The top cricket body of Pakistan has so far not received any official communication from the ACC on the statement of the ACC President.
“As such, the PCB has written to the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible on this important and sensitive matter,” the statement read.
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