PCB non-acceptant of Asia Cup rescheduling to accommodate IPL 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan confirmed the board's stance on this issue.

By Kashish Chadha - 24 Apr, 2020

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan said the board won't accept rescheduling of Asia Cup 2020 if it is done to accommodate the currently suspended 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

The PCB is hoping for the COVID-19 pandemic to soon be over so that the Asia Cup can be played as scheduled in UAE in September.

Read Also: BCCI official says Asia Cup T20 might not happen due to COVID-19 outbreak 

"Our stance is absolutely clear, the Asia Cup is set for September and the only reason it should not take place is continued health safety issues. We will not accept that the Asia Cup is moved to accommodate the IPL," Khan said on GTV News Channel.

"I have heard that there is talk to move the Asia Cup to November-December but for us, that is not possible," he added. "If you move the Asia Cup you are making way for one member nation and that is not right and it will not have our support."

PCB's Indian counterpart, the BCCI, is looking at possible new windows for the IPL 2020 to be played at some stage in future. 

However, that point, said Khan, wasn't raised by the BCCI representative at Thursday's (April 23) ICC Chief Executives online meeting. 

Khan also confirmed that the ICC is exploring options to safeguard all stakeholders' interest as far as the T20 World Cup in Australia is concerned. 

"The T20 World Cup might be played behind closed doors because if we don't play T20 World Cup each board potentially stands to lose between 15 and 20 million dollars," he said. 

Cricket Australia (CA), on its part, has told the ICC that it'll continue communicating with the national government on this issue and keep the cricket's governing body in loop over developments. 

On the matter of World Test Championship, Khan said there was "no consensus" between the full-member boards. "The WTC was discussed because some countries want it to be scrapped, others didn't agree so there was no consensus," he said. 

"But it was agreed to wait for next two or three months and see what happens before making a decision about World Test Championship."

(Inputs from PTI)

By Kashish Chadha - 24 Apr, 2020

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