The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday asserted that India won’t travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup next year. Shah was speaking to the media after the BCCI’s annual general meeting in Mumbai.
According to the FTP, Pakistan is slated to host two big ICC tournaments in the next three years – the 2023 Asia Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. But Shah’s statement has now raised questions about the schedule of these marquee championships.
“The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue,” Shah, who is also the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, told the media after the AGM. “I am saying this as ACC President. India can’t go to Pakistan, they can’t come here. In the past, the Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue,” he added.
The ACC hasn’t yet announced anything pertaining to the next edition of the Asia Cup. The 2022 Asia Cup was held in the UAE last month after hosts Sri Lanka could not organise the event amid a severe economic crisis and violent protests in the country.
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The last time India went to Pakistan was in 2008 for the Asia Cup. Pakistan’s last trip to India was in 2016 for the World T20. Due to torrid political ties, the arch-rivals have not played any bilateral series since Pakistan toured India in 2012-13.
Both teams locked horns twice in the recently-held Asia Cup last month and will cross swords again in Melbourne on October 23 in the T20 World Cup 2022.
On Tuesday, during the BCCI’s AGM, Roger Binny, the former Indian cricketer, was officially appointed as the president of the board. He is replacing Sourav Ganguly, who took over as the BCCI chief in October 2019 and was keen to continue in the post but his request was turned down.
At the AGM, outgoing treasurer and new IPL chairman Arun Dhumal informed the state units that the BCCI’s treasury grew from ₹3,648 crores to ₹9,629 crores in the last three years.