Asia Cup 2023: PCB’s ongoing tussle with BCCI continues, returns host agreement favoring India

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s ongoing tussle with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the Asia Cup 2023 hosting rights seems to be far from over.

In the latest twist to the tale, the Najam Sethi-led PCB has objected to hosting the Asia Cup by returning the agreement to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The cricket body claims that the hosting rights favor India with the right to decide on a neutral venue.

As per Cricket Pakistan, Sethi has urged the ACC to amend the document, while keeping the "Hybrid Model" in mind.

The cricket body has suggested that all the remaining matches, except India's, be played in Pakistan. They also want Indo-Pak games to be played at venues where the stadiums will be filled with maximum capacity to ensure higher revenues.

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Asia Cup 2023: Where do India and Pakistan stand?

For the uninitiated, PCB was awarded the hosting rights for the Asia Cup 2023. However, there has been speculation that India will withdraw its name from the event.

In October 2022, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah confirmed that India won’t travel to Pakistan to participate in the tournament. A final decision on this is awaited.

Team India have not toured Pakistan since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. They last toured Pakistan in 2005-06.

In fact, international cricket came to a halt in Pakistan a few years after the Sri Lankan team was attacked by gunmen in Karachi in 2009.

Since then, India and Pakistan have only played in ICC tournaments – the World Cup, the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. The two teams last locked horns in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where India beat Pakistan by four wickets.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has suggested Sri Lanka as a venue for the 2023 Asia Cup.

Speaking recently to ANI, Akhtar said:

"I want Asia Cup 2023 to be held in Pakistan; if not Pakistan, then Sri Lanka. I want to see India and Pakistan play the final in Asia Cup and World Cup. Nothing else should happen in world cricket, just India and Pakistan finals.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan's participation in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India is still uncertain.