Last Update: June 03, 2023, 12:57 PM IST
Sri Lanka is the defending Asia Cup champion (AFP Photo)
Relations between the cricket boards of Pakistan and Sri Lanka have soured following reported developments regarding the future of Asia Cup 2023.
Suspense remains over the Asia Cup 2023 but the uncertainty has reportedly strained relations between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
SLC has reportedly offered to host the entire Asia Cup after the BCCI said it would not send its team to Pakistan for the continental tournament. According to a report in the news agency, this proposal has not gone down well with the PCB. PTI,
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The PCB has turned down SLC’s proposal to play an ODI series in Sri Lanka in the build-up to the ODI World Cup, to be held in October-November this year.
The Sri Lankan team will play in the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe and a confident SLC have high hopes from their team. Hence, the board was hoping to provide more exposure to its players ahead of the marquee event.
“An example of the increasingly strained relations between the two boards came to the fore after the PCB turned down an offer by the PCB to play some One Day Internationals in Sri Lanka next month,” a PCB source was quoted as saying. PTI on Saturday.
“It is a clear indication that the PCB is not happy with the Sri Lankan board’s move to offer to host the Asia Cup in September when it is Pakistan’s turn to host the regional event at home,” the source said.
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PCB chairman Najam Sethi is not happy with the reaction of the cricket boards of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to his ‘hybrid model’ which would see India play their Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue while the other teams play in Pakistan.
“Sethi hoped that Sri Lanka, with whom Pakistan has long-standing friendly relations, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would persuade the Indian Cricket Board and other Asian Cricket Council board members to go along with the proposal put forward by Sethi and hold at least three matches in Pakistan. Will persuade to play four matches. Asia Cup before shifting the tournament elsewhere,” said the source.
“He is disappointed with the way things have turned out in the recent past, especially when some of the board chiefs went to India for the IPL final and met BCCI secretary Jay Shah,” the source said.
The report further claimed that the PCB is considering taking tough decisions if the BCCI does not change its stand on the Asia Cup.
