New Delhi: The Asia Cup is likely to be shifted away from Pakistan and taken to Sri Lanka amid BCCI’s reluctance to send Indian team to the neighbouring country.
In a massive setback to Pakistan, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has decided to move the Asia Cup out of the country with Sri Lanka emerging as the frontrunner to replace them. It comes after Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) suggestion of a ‘hybrid model’ was rejected by member nations.
The hybrid member was made necessary after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to travel to Pakistan citing lack of security clearance. There have been diplomatic tensions between the two nations and have stuck to playing each other only in ICC events.
Sri Lanka could play host to the six-team event in September with UAE reportedly out of reckoning due to the extremely humid conditions in the region that time.
PCB had proposed hosting India matches in the UAE and keeping their matches in Pakistan. But that suggestion has been shut down by other nations who believe this would create a logistical challenge.
“Najam Sethi (PCB chairman) was in Dubai today to procure support but to his horror there were no takers for his proposal of Pakistan playing its games in Karachi or Lahore and India playing in UAE. Sri Lanka was always with BCCI and now even Bangladesh Cricket Board seemed opposed to the idea,” an ACC source told news agency PTI.
“ACC has always maintained that in principle the ‘hybrid model’ is unacceptable and the budgetary sanctions can never be passed.”
Agencies

KR Desk