The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Thursday (June 15) announced the dates and venues for the Asia Cup 2023, agreeing to PCB’s demand of conducting the continental tournament with a hybrid model that will enable Pakistan to stage four games while the rest of the matches will be held in Sri Lanka.

The multi-nation event was supposed to be solely hosted by Pakistan, but BCCI refused to travel to the neighbouring country citing lack of clearance from the government and security reasons.

Subsequently, PCB chairman Najam Sethi threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup in India later this year and also proposed a hybrid model to host the Asia Cup.

Since the ACC has now approved PCB’s wish, the governing body will also take a step back from its stand of not travelling to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the marquee India versus Pakistan World Cup clash will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on 15th October 2023. Since then, Pakistani fans and experts have expressed some apprehension regarding the venue.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has rubbished the concerns, saying that the Ahmedabad pitch doesn’t hurl fire neither it is haunted.

“Why are they declining to play on Ahmedabad pitches? Does it hurl fire or is it haunted?” Afridi said while talking to a local news channel, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

"Go and play - go, play and win. If these are the foreseen challenges, then the only way to overcome them is through a comprehensive victory. What matters at the end of the day is Pakistan team's win. The crux only and only lies in there. Take this rather positively. If they [India] are comfortable there, you should go, pull a victory in front of packed Indian crowd and show them what you got," he added.

Earlier, a report published in PTI claimed that PCB doesn’t want Pakistan’s World Cup games to be played in Ahmedabad unless it is a knock-out fixture like final.

"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," a senior PCB source told PTI last week.

"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.