PCB’s likely chairman rejects hybrid model
With the ACC executive body approving the hybrid model, if Ashraf doesn’t change his stand, the Asia Cup could be held without Pakistan as a five-nation tournament.
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ISLAMABAD: The likely new chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf has rejected his predecessor Najam Sethi’s much-publicised “hybrid model” for the upcoming Asia Cup, which is slated to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka in September.
“The first point is that I had rejected the hybrid model (for Asia Cup) in the past itself - because I do not agree with it. The board of the Asian Cricket Council had decided that it should be held in Pakistan, then we should host it,” Ashraf said during a press conference in the Pakistan capital on Wednesday.
Ashraf’s comments could also put Pakistan’s World Cup participation in a limbo and it is expected that the BCCI will also play hardball and there wouldn’t be any middle ground if it back-tracks from what was agreed upon by members of Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
With the ACC executive body approving the hybrid model, if Ashraf doesn’t change his stand, the Asia Cup could be held without Pakistan as a five-nation tournament.
“The Asia Cup model has been accepted by ACC and there would be no change. Ashraf is free to say whatever he wants,” an ACC board member said.
Ashraf is one of the two nominees for the PCB chairman’s post handpicked by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is the patron-in-chief of the board and the man who has the final say in appointment. As of now, Ashraf’s appointment is just a formality. The hybrid model was accepted by the ACC, headed by BCCI boss Jay Shah, after India made it clear that it won’t travel to Pakistan due to the prevailing geo-political situation.
It was decided that four games will be held in Pakistan with the host country playing its group league match against Nepal and three other games involving Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would also be scheduled in Lahore.
However, things changed dramatically in the last 48 hours after Sethi announced on Twitter that he is quitting.
“I don’t want to be a bone of contention between Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. Such instability and uncertainty is not good for PCB. Under the circumstances I am not a candidate for Chairmanship of PCB. Good luck to all stakeholders,” Sethi had tweeted.
