Amid the ongoing conflict between BCCI and PCB over the staging of Asia Cup, PCB chairman Najam Sethi has reportedly expressed apprehensions about playing the 2023 World Cup match against arch-rivals India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
According to a PTI report, Sethi has intimated ICC chairman Greg Barclay about the same. Earlier, it was reported that the PCB wants its matches to be played in Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru.
Recently, Barclay and ICC General Manager Geoff Allardice were in Karachi to seek guarantee from the PCB that it won’t push for Pakistan’s World Cup matches to be played at a neutral venue since the Asian Cricket Council is all set to reject its demand of playing Asia Cup on basis of 'Hybrid Model'.
"Sethi has conveyed to Barclay and Allardice that Pakistan doesn't want it matches to be scheduled in Ahmedabad unless it is a knock-out game like final," PTI quoted a senior PCB source as saying.
"He requested ICC to schedule their games in Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata if national team gets clearance from Pakistan government to travel to India for the global event scheduled in October and November," he added.
The PCB source also informed that Sethi has asked ICC officials to persuade BCCI to accept the Hybrid Model for Asia Cup. In such a model, India would play their matches at a neutral venue while Pakistan would play their matches at home.
As per the source, Sethi isn’t willing to accept the new revenue sharing model unless its share was increased in the new five year cycle.
"Sethi pointed out that it was unfair that Pakistan should get a lesser share of the ICC revenues in the new cycle compared to Australia and England," the source said.
"Sethi argued that Australia and England regularly get to play bilateral series with India and their players also take part in the Indian Premier League which means extra revenues for the two boards from the IPL management," he further stated.
The BCCI and ICC officials are currently in London to watch the World Test Championship Final between India and Australia. They are expected to finalize the schedule and venues for the World Cup in the next few days.
(With PTI Inputs)
