The ACC denies any proposal to replace Asia Cup. PCB proposed a hybrid model, which is under consideration, while BCCI wants the tournament to be shifted to UAE.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has denied any discussions regarding the replacement of the Asia Cup with a five-nation or alternate tournament. According to sources, no proposal of such nature holds any worth against the scheduled events planned well ahead. The ACC has clarified that Pakistan holds the right to host the Asia Cup in September and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has already floated a “hybrid model” proposal, which is under consideration by the member countries.
The “hybrid model” proposed by the PCB suggests that Pakistan will play its matches on home soil, while India will play at a neutral venue, most likely Dubai. During the last ACC meeting, the Chairman of the PCB Management Committee, Najam Sethi, proposed the “hybrid model” idea to retain the cup with Pakistan after the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, had already informed that India would not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup.
Although the BCCI prefers to relocate the whole tournament to the UAE, with three grounds available in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, as was done in 2018, there has been no discussion or suggestion to postpone the Asia Cup. Any significant issues must be discussed at the ACC assembly, and the PCB has already assured India and other countries of the same high level of security provided to the New Zealand team.
The PCB official confirmed that all other Asian countries except for India have been traveling to Pakistan for international events in the recent past, so there is no reason why any other country should deny traveling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. India, or any other country, cannot dictate or has any monopoly on the ACC.
Under the ACC umbrella, no Asian country should be deprived of their right to host the event. Any attempt to deny or plan such action could lead to a disastrous outcome and an unfavorable future for the ACC.
The Asia Cup is a biennial international men’s cricket tournament, organized by the Asian Cricket Council. The tournament was first held in 1984 and has since then been a significant event in the cricket calendar. The event is played in the One Day International (ODI) format and consists of teams from various Asian countries.
India has won the tournament seven times, which is the most by any team, followed by Sri Lanka with five wins. Pakistan has won the Asia Cup twice, and Bangladesh has won it once. The 2018 Asia Cup was held in the UAE, where India emerged as the winner by defeating Bangladesh in the final.
The Asia Cup has been marred with political tensions in the past. In 2018, the tournament was moved from India to the UAE due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The BCCI had refused to send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan, citing security concerns. The 2020 Asia Cup was also postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The ACC has denied any proposals of replacing the Asia Cup with a five-nation or alternate tournament. The “hybrid model” proposed by the PCB is still under consideration, and the member countries are yet to come to a decision. The political tensions between India and Pakistan have been a hindrance to the Asia Cup in the past, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold this year. However, it is essential to ensure that the tournament takes place without any further disruptions, as it is a significant event in the cricket calendar and a source of pride for Asian countries.
