The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not happy with its Sri Lankan counterpart after the latter expressed interest to host the entire Asia Cup 2023.
As a result, PCB has declined Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) offer to play an ODI bilateral series in the island nation, PTI reported on Saturday (June 3).
While Pakistan have the Asia Cup 2023 hosting rights, the BCCI is not willing to send its team to the neighbouring country because of security reasons. As a result, options are being explored to conduct the multi-nation tournament in September.
Recently, PCB proposed a ‘Hybrid Model’ to host the tournament. In such a model, India would play their matches in UAE while Pakistan would play their matches at home. However, the Asian Cricket Council is yet to take a final call.
Meanwhile, SLC’s desire to stage the entire Asia Cup hasn’t gone well with the PCB and the relations between the two boards have turned sour.
"An example of the increasingly strained relations between the two boards emerged after the PCB turned down a proposal by the Lankans to play a few One-Day International matches next month in Sri Lanka," PTI quoted a PCB source as saying.
Pakistan is due to visit Sri Lanka in July to play two Tests of the next WTC cycle. Apparently, SLC had asked Pakistan to also play a few ODIs but the source confirmed that the PCB turned down the proposal after initially showing interest.
"It is a clear indication that the PCB is not happy with the Sri Lankan board stepping in 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.
In fact, PCB chief Najam Sethi is also not pleased with the response of the Bangladesh and Afghanistan boards over the Asia Cup conflict.
"Sethi expected Sri Lanka with whom Pakistan has long had friendly relations, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to convince the Indian Cricket Board and other Asian Cricket Council board members to go with the proposal put by Sethi and at least play three to four games in Pakistan of the Asia Cup before moving the tournament elsewhere. He is disappointed at the way things have panned out in recent days specially when some of these board heads went to India for the IPL final and met with the BCCi secretary Jay Shah," the source added.
Recently, Indian media reported that the BCCI and Jay Shah have rejected Sethi's hybrid model proposal and want the Asia Cup to be staged in Sri Lanka.
While the PCB is yet to release an official statement, the governing body is reportedly preparing for some strong decisions regarding the Asia Cup and World Cup if the Indian board does not change its stance on the continental event.
(With PTI Inputs)
