New Delhi: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah’s recent comment that the Asia Cup 2023 – to be hosted by Pakistan — would be played at a neutral venue has not gone down well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The PCB wrote to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Wednesday, asking it to convene an emergency meeting as soon as possible on this “important and sensitive manner”. Incidentally, Jay Shah is the president of the ACC.
The neighbouring board has said that Shah’s comments were made “without any discussion or consultation” with the ACC and the PCB, which is the 2023 event’s host. It said the comments were made without “any thoughts towards long-term consequences and implications”.
The PCB said such a unilateral decision could impact Pakistan’s visit to India for the ICC one-day international World Cup in 2023 and for all ICC events held in India between 2024 and 2031.
After the annual general meeting of the BCCI in Mumbai Tuesday, Jay Shah had said: “We will have the Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue. It is the government which decides over the permission of our team visiting Pakistan… so we won’t comment on that… but for the 2023 Asia Cup, it is decided the tournament will be held at a neutral venue.”
Shah added: “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.”
New BCCI office bearers — president Roger Binny, treasurer Ashish Shelar and Rajiv Shukla, who was re-elected as board vice-president — were present when Shah addressed the media on Tuesday.
In an official statement released Wednesday, the PCB said: “The PCB has noted with surprise and disappointment yesterday’s comments made by the ACC President Mr Jay Shah with regards to shifting of next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue. The comments were made 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.
PCB responds to ACC President's statement
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“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.”
It added: “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 its Members and (to) organise, develop, and promote the game of cricket in Asia.
“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.”
Also read: BCCI vs PCB: Shah announces Asia Cup at ‘neutral venue’, Pakistan threatens World Cup pullout