The staging of the Asia Cup, a highly anticipated six-national continental championship, has been plagued by prolonged uncertainty. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed a hybrid model for the tournament, with four games to be held in Pakistan and the rest in the UAE. However, recent reports indicate that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have formally rejected this proposal, aligning themselves with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has been opposed to the model.
Rashid Latif, a former Pakistan captain, revealed that Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh have written to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) rejecting the PCB’s hybrid model. In a Twitter post, Latif stated that all countries, except Pakistan, agreed on a single venue due to logistical and financial concerns. He also mentioned the possibility of a Zoom meeting or a general meeting in Dubai to resolve the matter.
Latif, citing independent sources, indicated that the rejection of the hybrid model makes it highly likely that the Asia Cup will be moved out of Pakistan. Although there is no official confirmation at the time of publishing this article, Latif expressed confidence in Pakistan’s participation in the tournament. He believes Pakistan should and will participate.
PCB chief Najam Sethi did not respond to queries, and there were reports suggesting that the PCB might withdraw from the championship as a form of protest. The situation remains unclear as to whether Pakistan will ultimately participate or not. However, it was previously reported that Sri Lanka is prepared to host the tournament if given the opportunity.
Officials from SLC, BCB, and ACB did not immediately respond to messages, and Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI and president of the ACC, was unavailable for comment as he is currently in London.
The six-team Asia Cup, tentatively scheduled to commence in the second week of September, holds great importance as a precursor to the World Cup scheduled for October-November. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal are set to participate in the 17-game championship.