Pakistan Cricket Board's likely to be chairman Zaka Ashraf has rejected the hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023. PCB is set to announce a new chairman after interim chief Najam Sethi announced that he will not be going for a race for the permanent job. Meanwhile, Ashraf has dropped a bombshell statement on the venue of the Asia Cup 2023.
The controversy regarding Asia Cup seems not to be over in the mind of PCB's next likely chief. After PCB's proposal to hold the Asia Cup 2023 in a hybrid model, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently confirmed their request and announced the schedule and venues for the tournament. Meanwhile, now the potential chief seems to pull out from the earlier move. "
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.
However, it is being reported that this could lead to Pakistan's participation in the World Cup in limbo and BCCI might also play the hardball. An ACC member also stated that a venue change cannot be made now. "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 told PTI.
Notably, Ashraf is one of two nominees to be picked for the chairman post. The chairman is set to be selected by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is the patron-in-chief of the board and the man who has the final say in the appointment. Ashraf states that the model is unfair for Pakistan and the main matches are held outside the original host country.
"All the main matches are happening outside (of Pakistan) (Teams like) Nepal and Bhutan are going to play in Pakistan - which is not fair for Pakistan. I do not know what the board has decided previously, I do not have access to the information. "I will check, whatever is doable in the shortest possible time, will do that for the betterment of Pakistan," he said.
After approving PCB's proposal of a hybrid model, ACC on June 15 announced the venues and schedule for the tournament. "We are delighted to announce that the Asia Cup 2023 will be held from 31st August to 17th September 2023 and will see the elite teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal, compete in a total of 13 exciting ODI matches," ACC wrote in a statement issued.
