Asia Cup 2023 Venue Decision Postponed Till March 2023

PCB earned the hosting rights for Asia Cup 2023 last year but since then there have been consistent controversies related to whether Pakistan will host the Asia Cup 2023 or not because BCCI secretary Mr. Jay Shah who is also the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) president had made it clear last year that team India will not be traveling to Pakistan at any cost and the Asia Cup 2023 will be held on a neutral venue. 

ACC Meeting In Bahrain

All the Asian cricket-playing nations attended the annual meeting in Bahrain to discuss this ongoing hosting rights issue with other playing nations and force PCB to shift Asia Cup 2023 to a neutral venue. However, it is now confirmed that the deadlock between PCB & BCCI has still not been resolved and currently, the hosting rights for Asia Cup 2023 are still with Pakistan and PCB Chairman Mr. Najam Sethi has made it very clear that if India doesn’t travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup then PCB will think about not traveling to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup which is scheduled to be played later this year. 

Now, another meeting is scheduled after a month’s time in which they will again discuss this issue, and the ICC meetings are also scheduled at the same time so BCCI will try to use ICC influence to force PCB to play World Cup in India while host Asia cup on the neutral venue which can be UAE, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. 

ACC Participating Nations Decision

It is also been confirmed to the press that ACC has asked all Asian cricket-playing nations to seek their own Government approval regarding if their teams can travel to Pakistan to play the Asia Cup 2023. 

It is to keep noted that in the last three years, Pakistan is hosting International cricket on a consistent basis with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, West Indies, England, Australia & New Zealand already toured and played the bilateral series so the PCB stance is if all nations can play so does India and they can assure full proof presidential security. 

Last Pakistan-India Bilateral Series 

In 2012-2013, Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series which was the last time both nations played against each in a bilateral series due to deteriorating political relations between both countries. For more than a decade, both countries play against each other in ICC & ACC events only. Pakistan also toured India to play in the 2016 T20 World Cup as well while team India has not toured Pakistan since 2008 when they played the 50-over Asia cup in Pakistan.