Asia Cup set to be moved out of Pakistan

NEW DELHI: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is set to move the Asia Cup out of Pakistan after Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) proposal to host the tournament in a ‘hybrid model’ was rejected by the member nations.

Sri Lanka has emerged as the front-runner to host the six-nation tournament as extremely humid conditions in the UAE in the month of September may not be ideal for the players. The PCB was forced to propose an alternative after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send the India team to the neighbouring nation due to diplomatic tension between the two countries.

The PCB proposed that India plays its matches in the UAE while Pakistan hosts its games on home soil. “Najam Sethi (the PCB chairman) was in Dubai on Monday to procure support, but there were no takers for his proposal of Pakistan playing its games in Karachi or Lahore and India playing in the UAE. Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Cricket) was always with the BCCI,” an ACC source told PTI.

The ACC chairman Jay Shah will need to convene an executive body meeting to make the decision official. In the prevailing situation, whether Pakistan participates in the event or decides against coming to India for the World Cup remains to be seen.