The Pakistan Cricket Board issued a strong statement on Wednesday in response to comments by Asia Cricket Council Chairman Jay Shah on Tuesday about the possibility of moving the 2023 Asia Cup from Pakistan as India will not travel to the country. In its statement, PCB said it was “surprised and disappointed” by Mr Shah’s comments and that such a move could affect Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in India in 2023.
Mr Shah, who also secured a second consecutive term as BCCI’s secretary on Tuesday, made the comment on the sidelines of the 91st BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai.
Here is the full statement from PCB:
“The PCB has learned with surprise and disappointment at yesterday’s comments by the ACC President, Mr. Jay Shah, regarding moving next year’s Asia Cup to a neutral venue. The comments were made without any discussion or consultation with the board of the Asian Cricket Council or the Pakistan Cricket Board (organizer of the event) and without any thoughts on the long-term consequences and implications.
“After presiding over the ACC meeting in which Pakistan was awarded the ACC Asia Cup with overwhelming support and response from the ACC board members, Mr Shah’s statement on the shifting of the ACC Asia Cup has clearly been made unilaterally. This is contrary to the philosophy and spirit for which the Asian Cricket Council was established in September 1983 – a unified Asian cricket body to protect the interests of its members and to organize, develop and promote the game of cricket in Asia.
“The overall impact of such statements could split Asian and international cricket communities, and could affect Pakistan’s visit to India for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and future ICC events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle.
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“To date, the PCB has not received any official communication or clarification from the ACC on the ACC President’s statement. As such, the PCB has now requested that the Asian Cricket Council convene an emergency meeting of its council as soon as practicable to discuss this important and sensitive issue.”
India last toured Pakistan for a bilateral series in 2005-06 led by Rahul Dravid. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2012-13, when Pakistan toured India with three T20Is and as many ODIs. Since then, both have just met in world events or Asia Cup.
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