At a press conference that ended on Wednesday, Zaka Ashraf, the new chairperson of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), dropped a bombshell. He expressed concerns about the hybrid concept of running the Asia Cup 2023.
Ashraf has openly rejected the hybrid model recently approved by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Pakistan will host a multi-nation cricket competition at home for the first time since 2008. Sri Lanka will co-host the Asia Cup in 2023, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it clear that Team India would not visit Pakistan.
“The first point is that I have previously rejected the hybrid model (for Asia Cup) because I disagree.” The Asian Cricket Council’s board has agreed that it should be hosted in Pakistan, thus we should host it,” Ashraf said during a press conference on Wednesday. With Ashraf’s nomination as the PCB’s president, the Pakistani cricket body and the BCCI will be at odds.
Remarks from the Asian Cricket Council
Ashraf’s remarks may imperil Pakistan’s participation in the 2023 World Cup, which will be held in India. An ACC board member made an important statement to the news agency PTI after Ashraf rejected the hybrid format for Asia Cup. “ACC has accepted the Asia Cup model, and there will be no changes.” “Ashraf is free to say whatever he wants,” said the ACC member.
Ashraf is one of two nominees for PCB’s top role, having previously been chosen by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Sharif’s selection as PCB president, according to the site, is only a formality for the Pakistani Prime Minister.
“Every major match is taking place outside of Pakistan.” Nepal and Bhutan are preparing to play in Pakistan, which is unjust to Pakistan. I don’t know what the board previously decided because I can’t view the document. “I will look into it and do whatever is possible in the shortest amount of time for the betterment of Pakistan,” he said.
Challenges ahead
Ashraf was the chairperson of the PCB when India last played Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2012. Given his views on the BCCI and ICC’s refusal to grant the PCB’s request for a change of venue in a few games, the path ahead for a relationship may not be easy.
“There are many pending issues for Pakistan, including the Asia Cup, the World Cup, team preparations, and many other issues.” I don’t want to criticise anyone because I haven’t (yet) taken charge. I’ll see what happens after I take charge. I always have media with me, and I never hide anything. We have a clear mind and must fight for the benefit of Pakistan,” Ashraf remarked.
The last time India and Pakistan played a bilateral series in 2012, Ashraf was chairman of the PCB.
Asia Cup 2023 Schedule
Pakistan will host the Asia Cup in 2023. The match will be played in the ODI format. The Asia Cup will be held for the 16th time. The Asia Cup 2023 will take place in September 2023. The ACC still needs to officially publish the schedule. Sri Lanka won the last Asia Cup after defeating Pakistan in the final.
The 2023 ODI Asia Cup will feature 13 matches in total. Four Asia Cup matches will be happening in Pakistan, while the rest nine will be played in Sri Lanka. The ODI Asia Cup will be contested in a hybrid format. Two teams will compete in the finals from the Super Four stage.
The Asia Cup 2023 will see six teams. In total, there are two groups, each with three teams.
Group 1: India, Pakistan, Nepal
Group 2: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan
Nepal qualifies for Asia Cup 2023
Nepal also won the ACC men’s premier cup on Tuesday at the TU cricket ground in Kathmandu by defeating United Arab Emirates (UAE).
17-year-old Gulshan Kumar Jha scored a steady 84-ball 67 in the seven-wicket victory. As a result, Nepal qualified for the Asia Cup 2023 for the first time in history.
The Asia Cup will be held in September, and Nepal will compete in Group A alongside India and Pakistan.
The top three finishes at the Premier Cup by Nepal, UAE, and Oman ensure that they will compete in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in July when they will face ‘A’ Teams of five Full Members from the area.
