PCB chief Najam Sethi warns of Pakistan not playing Asia Cup 2018

Sethi said PCB will boycott Asia Cup 2018, if BCCI opposes Emerging Nations Asia Cup in Pakistan in 2018.

Pakistan has threatened to boycott Asia Cup 2018 in India

The tensions between India and Pakistan on political front have started to affect the cricketing ties between the nations as well. India and Pakistan already do not play any bilateral series against each other and now it seems like even the multi-team tournaments involving the two, might feel the heat of this rivalry.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi has made it clear that, if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to oppose Pakistan hosting the Emerging Teams Asia Cup in 2018; then PCB might boycott the Asia Cup in 2018, which is to be hosted by India.

According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Najam Sethi has threatened to pull out of the Asia Cup 2018, scheduled to be played in India.

He said “The ACC Development Committee head and Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Thilanga Sumathipala tried to convince India and Bangladesh that they were also invited to attend the meeting [in Lahore] but they did not come. So the committee, with majority members’ votes, went on to make the decision in favour of Pakistan.

I also raised the point that since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaiting an approval from the government to hold the Asia Cup and wants the visa clearance of all the participating teams, the PCB will decide whether to go to India or not because we are also bound by our government’s clearance,” he mentioned.

Najam Sethi also expressed happiness over the new revised FTP for Pakistan. “The PCB, in fact, has done a great job to earn 121 matches for the national team in the next four years and most of them are against strong cricketing nations,” Sethi quoted.

Sethi also expressed his views on the ongoing case against BCCI over the MoU signed between the two nations. As per the said MoU, the two teams are required to play 6 bilateral series during 2015-2023. However, citing political reasons, the BCCI has shown no interest in playing against Pakistan.

If Pakistan wins the case, India will have to give us the matches and for that purpose the FTP will be changed. And if we lose, the same FTP with some minor changes may go ahead,” said the PCB Chief.

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 27 Dec, 2017

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