PCB to pull out of Asia Cup 2023 if tournament hosted in a neutral venue

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has once again turned the heads around after announcing that Pakistan will likely pull out of the Asia Cup 2023 if the tournament is moved out of Pakistan & gets denied hosting rights.

Ramiz Raja has always been resistant and bold in his stance on hosting the Asia Cup. He had earlier stated that Pakistan will also pull out of the ICC World Cup 2023 in India if the latter does not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023.

BCCI Secretary and recently appointed Asian Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman Jay Shah had stated that the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will be held at a neutral venue and India will likely not travel to Pakistan.

The geopolitical relations between India and Pakistan have always remained strained ever since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. India has not traveled to Pakistan aftermath and Pakistan has also not traveled to India for any bilateral series after 2012. The last time Pakistan traveled to India was for the 2016 T20 World Cup.

India not traveling to Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 will elevate tension between both the nations

The political relations between India and Pakistan will be further estranged after the consequences of the Asia Cup 2023 hosting rights. Pakistan has been developing a healthy image in front of global cricket as it has hosted a number of prominent cricketing nations including South Africa and the West Indies. Currently, the England team is also in Pakistan to play a three-match test series.

In such a scenario, moving the marquee event out of Pakistan will cause further trouble for both cricket boards. Given that the India-Pakistan games attend a huge crowd, PCB will be expecting to generate a streamlined revenue and not miss an opportunity.

Ramiz Raja has been continuously making strong statements in front of the media. He stated that Pakistan is not pleading for hosting the championship but they have earned it. Raja also added that the Pakistani government has never stopped the team to travel to India and the Indian government should also consider sending the team to Pakistan.

India and Pakistan have recently been included in a number of ICC and Asia Cup games. India defeated Pakistan in the recently conducted match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the occasion of the T-20 World Cup Group stage fixture.

Whether India will tour Pakistan for Asia Cup 2023 or the event will be hosted in a neutral venue with Pakistan pulling out of it, is what time will say. But fans of both nations would eagerly wait for an India vs Pakistan fixture in Asia Cup 2023.