The BCCI announced on Tuesday (October 18) that Team India will not tour Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup, adding that the continental competition will be held at a neutral venue. Jay Shah, the board's secretary, made the big announcement to the media following the BCCI's AGM.
"We will have 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 that the tournament will be held at a neutral venue," Shah told ANI.
The BCCI's stance has elicited significant comments from the Pakistan cricket community, with many former players dissatisfied with the board's decision. Salman Butt is the latest cricketer to criticize the BCCI.
The former Pakistan captain asked if there was any ICC to have a look at it and then called for the Pakistan Cricket Board to show some strength. "Pehle mujhe ye bataayein, kya ICC exist karta hai (firstly tell me, does ICC even exist?) Is it neutral? Is there no influence there? Is India not the heavyweight there because they bring more financial backup to ICC?."
"It was expected that India would say no. The solution to it should've been decided earlier. This happens everytime. The focus should be on the cricket so that fans and cricketers don't get affected. If there are political tensions, both teams should avoid touring one another. It shouldn't be that Pakistan tour India, but the latter doesn't come to Pakistan. PCB should show some strength, this is their chance."
Now that the BCCI has decided that Team India would not tour Pakistan, the 2023 Asia Cup appears to be returning to the UAE. The event was supposed to be held in India in 2018, however it was moved to the UAE. In 2022, Sri Lanka hosted the event after it was relocated to the United Arab Emirates.
Even if the PCB has threatened to withdraw from future ICC events in India, there is no doubt that the 2023 World Cup and subsequent events would be held solely in India.
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