The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced that the Asia Cup tournament, scheduled to take place from September 2-17, will be moved out of Pakistan after the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) proposal to host the tournament on a “hybrid model” was rejected by member nations. Sri Lanka is now the front-runner to host the six-nation tournament due to the extremely humid conditions in the UAE during September, which could lead to player injuries.
The PCB had proposed that India play their games in the UAE, while Pakistan would host their matches on home soil. However, this proposal was met with opposition from other member nations. The BCCI had already refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan due to diplomatic tension between the two countries, which forced the PCB to come up with an alternative “hybrid model” proposal.
The ACC has always maintained that the “hybrid model” is unacceptable, and budgetary sanctions can never be passed. It is also not just about Pakistan hosting its matches; it means that if India and Pakistan are in the same group, the third team will be traveling to and fro between Dubai and a city in Pakistan, which is not practical. The broadcasters would also not want to send separate units to two countries, which would further add to the logistical challenges.
Moreover, the recent decision of the PCB to host Pakistan Super League’s matches in the UAE due to escalated costs of security arrangements has added fuel to the fire. The ACC source stated that “Sri Lanka, just like UAE, doesn’t require inter-city flights whether you play at the Khettarama (Premadasa Stadium), SSC or Galle or Kandy.”
While the PCB is hopeful that there will be another round of discussions on Tuesday in case there is a change of heart, the decision to move the Asia Cup out of Pakistan has dealt a huge setback to the country. It remains to be seen whether Pakistan will compete in the tournament or decide against coming to India for the World Cup. Even the International Cricket Council (ICC) is unlikely to agree to Pakistan playing its matches outside India during the World Cup. Therefore, the PCB will have to come up with a viable alternative soon.
