The hosting of the much controversial Asia Cup 2023 still remains in jeopardy and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will likely ascertain the fate of the championship on 28th May. The decision has been prolonged due to the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League 2023. Pakistan Cricket Board, the original hosts of the tournament had suggested implementing the Hybrid model for hosting the marquee event. This was due to the security concerns raised by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI).
The BCCI is reportedly not in favor of accepting the Hybrid Model embedded by PCB. An invitation has been floated to the delegates of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for a meeting on May 28 in Ahmedabad. The crucial meeting between the Asian heavyweights will certainly decide the fate of hosting the championship.
Secretary of BCCI Jay Shah released a press statement mentioning that the respective Presidents of ACB, BCB, and SLC will grace the occasion of the IPL Finals on May 28 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Furthermore, Shah stated that they will hold discussions alongside the board members on deciding the future course of action for Asia Cup 2023.
BCB, BCCI & SLC opposed Pakistan’s Hybrid Model for Asia Cup 2023
Previously, it was learned that BCB and SLC had opposed the Hybrid Model of PCB. However, PCB Chief Najam Sethi threatened to boycott the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka after which it was believed that Sri Lanka had reportedly showcased their support for the model. The potential venues for the Hybrid model are the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sri Lanka. UAE delegates are keen to host the championship whereas it was also reported that Sri Lanka will entirely host the tournament if ACC scraps PCB to organize the event.
Unfriendly weather conditions in UAE will certainly give Sri Lanka a slight edge. The Hybrid model will be held in a phased manner where all Indian fixtures will likely take place after or before all the other Asian nations battle it out against each other.
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