As of yet, no agreement has been reached on a neutral site for the Asia Cup, leaving Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and England in a bind.
Within the hybrid framework, Dubai has been classified as a neutral zone by the PCB.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had previously denied sending a team to Pakistan for this year’s Asia Cup, insisting instead that the entire competition be played in a neutral location.
To resolve the impasse, PCB proposed a hybrid plan in which the first four group stage matches of the main part of the tournament would take place in Pakistan. In addition, the subsequent phase, which includes India’s matches and the finals, will take place at an impartial venue. If that’s the case, Pakistan will host Nepal during their group stage match. Pakistan will also host the opening round of games for Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Dubai is a PCB-recognized preferred neutral location within a hybrid regulatory framework.
However, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have raised concerns that the severe heat in the United Arab Emirates in September may make playing day-night matches difficult for the players. PCB maintains that there would be no conflict between the Asia Cup and the IPL because both have previously been held in the United Arab Emirates at roughly the same time and under similar weather circumstances.
In addition, Sethi has proposed the United Kingdom as a replacement site for the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan cricket officials are making every effort to secure the tournament’s Asia Cup venue.
A top PCB official who was contacted confirmed that they had gotten word that a decision on the Asia Cup’s host city was imminent. There are few remaining objections to the hybrid format, but a stalemate persists over where the Asia Cup’s knockout round should be played.
After kicking off the tournament in Pakistan, PCB hopes to move it to either the United Arab Emirates or England. Both countries stand to benefit financially from the event due to the vast number of Asian fans living there.
Matches against India and other teams could be played in Sri Lanka. PCB is worried that they would receive inadequate gate receipts.
To convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to enable UAE to host the second phase of the Asia Cup, two top executives of the Emirates Cricket Board recently went India. So yet, though, they have heard nothing but crickets.
BCCI authorities have asked representatives from Sri Lanka Cricket and the Bangladesh Cricket Board to attend the IPL final on May 27 before their meeting to discuss the 2023 World Cup and Asia Cup.
There has been no formal invitation extended to PCB as of yet. It will be impossible to get a visa in such a short amount of time, even if you are invited.
Pakistan has offered a hybrid concept for the Asia Cup, and the Indian board appears to have embraced it.
The BCCI is willing to host the World Cup in India if the PCB guarantees that they will send a side there. The PCB has made it clear that the Pakistani team’s participation is conditional on receiving official approval from the government.
