NEW DELHI, Oct 18: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general secretary, Jay Shah on Tuesday, ruled out Indian cricket team travelling to Pakistan next year to participate in the 2023 Asia Cup to be held there.
Mr Shah is confident that even as Pakistan as the host the tournament would be played in some neutral venue to enable India to participate as the organisers would like to cash on the gate money as India-Pakistan matches attract huge numbers of viewers.
Even in the Melbourne clash between the two teams in the first round of the T20 World Cup on October 23, the Australian organisers are expecting a crowd of over 90,000 people in the stadium.
“For Pakistan, we have stated policy that we need government clearance. As far as Asia Cup is concerned, which is supposed to be held in Pakistan next year, it will take place at a neutral venue,” Shah told reporters on the sidelines of the 91st BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Mumbai on Tuesday. India last travelled to Pakistan for the bilateral series in 2005-06 under the captaincy of current Team India coach Rahul Dravid, and to compete in the Asia Cup in 2008.
The two countries now play only in ICC events, with no bilateral series since 2013. India and Pakistan only play each other in Asia Cup and global events due to political tensions between the two countries. But the world body is keen to cash in on the cricket-crazy subcontinent with a big windfall in terms of gate money and eyeballs on television guaranteed, as well as discussion points on social media.
Though Sri Lanka was the host, the 2022 Asia Cup was played in the UAE last month after Sri Lanka expressed their inability to organise the event amid the economic crisis back home.
(Manas Dasgupta)
