Asia Cup fiasco: PCB’s chief Najam Sethi threatens to leave the ACC

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi after the rejection of the proposed “Hybrid Plan” for the Asia Cup 2023 in which Pakistan would host the matches other than India’s matches in Pakistan and India’s matches would be conducted on a neutral venue most probably in Dubai, but the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) rejected the plan, so in desperation, PCB chief Najam Sethi comes up with a new “Hybrid Plan” in which Pakistan would be allowed to host at least 4 Asia Cup matches otherwise Pakistan would opt out of the ACC.

Pakistan and India don’t get along very well on geopolitical grounds, as there are various issues that Pakistan needs to address, and the BCCI has raised security concerns as a valid reason not to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. Najam Sethi, on the other hand, has said that teams like Australia, England, and New Zealand have played their series in Pakistan, and there was no security lapse from their side while hosting the foreign teams, but the BCCI is not willing to send an Indian team to Pakistan for the matches.

Adding to that, Najam Sethi also said that if India wants to conduct their matches on neutral grounds, then Pakistan would also play their World Cup 2023 matches at a neutral venue but not in India. However, it would be decided by the ICC whether this would be possible or not.

Sri Lanka could be hosting the Asia Cup 2023 as per some reports, and Pakistan is desperate not to let that happen as they want to show the world that a big continental event like the Asia Cup can be conducted in Pakistan as Pakistan has been awarded the hosting rights for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tussle between the two nations is now becoming a headache for the ACC, and they would have to announce their final verdict soon; it could be at the end of May 2023.

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