LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) hybrid model for the Asia Cup 2023, with Sri Lanka as the neutral venue, is likely to be approved by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
According to a report by the Indian news agency Press Trust of India, under this hybrid model, Pakistan will host only four matches of the upcoming tournament at home, while the remaining matches will be played in Sri Lanka.
An ACC board member, speaking on conditions of anonymity, revealed that Oman Cricket board chief Pankaj Khimji, a respected member of the ACC executive board, was entrusted to find a solution as most countries were against the hybrid model. However, as it stands, four non-India games—Pakistan vs Nepal, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh—will take place at Lahore’s Gadaffi Stadium. The two India vs Pakistan matches and all other Super Four Games will be held in either Pallekele or Galle.
The report also mentioned that the ACC could formally announce this decision on Tuesday. The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place from September 1 to 17, with the Pakistan-leg games set to be held in Lahore. Once the hybrid model for the Asia Cup is approved, Pakistan is also likely to travel to India for this year’s World Cup.
In the Asia Cup 2023, Group 1 will consist of Pakistan, India, and Nepal, while defending champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will form Group 2. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage, following a format similar to last year.
It’s worth noting that the PCB proposed the hybrid model after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send their team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. The strained relations between the two countries have prevented India from touring Pakistan since 2008. The last bilateral series between the arch-rivals occurred in 2012 when Pakistan visited India for limited-overs matches. In recent years, they have only faced each other in ICC and ACC events.
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