Daily Times

LAHORE: The stalemate over the hosting of Asia Cup 2023 finally ended on Thursday when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) accepted the hybrid model presented by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Hosts Pakistan will split Asia Cup matches with Sri Lanka under the hybrid model for the tournament beginning on August 31. The move clears the way for Pakistan’s participation in the subsequent 50-overs World Cup in India in October-November this year. The tournament was originally meant to be held entirely in Pakistan but the hybrid model became necessary after India said it would not travel to Pakistan because of the soured political relations between the neighbours who play each other only in multi-team tournaments. In reply, Pakistan had threatened to boycott the ODI World Cup in India if they were made to stage the entire Asia Cup in another country. The last bilateral series between the arch-rivals took place in 2012, when Pakistan toured India for limited-overs matches. Over the past few years, the two countries have only faced each other in ICC and ACC events.

In the hybrid model, four of the 13 matches will be played in Pakistan and the remaining nine in Sri Lanka. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was also in the running as a neutral venue but Bangladesh raised concerns over the extreme weather there in September. The ACC announced the decision to accept PCB’s model while revealing the schedule for the much-anticipated tournament which was riddled with controversy due to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stubbornness. “We are delighted to announce that the Asia Cup 2023 will see the elite teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal compete in a total of 13 exciting ODI matches,” the council said in a statement issued in this regard. This will be the first time since 2008 that matches of a multi-nation cricket tournament will be staged in Pakistan. The final of the six-team tournament is scheduled on September 17.

“I am elated that our hybrid version for the ACC Asia Cup 2023 has been accepted,” Najam Sethi, chair of the PCB management committee, said in a statement. “This means the PCB will remain as the event host and stage matches in Pakistan with Sri Lanka as the neutral venue, which was required due to the Indian cricket team’s inability to travel to Pakistan. Our passionate fans would have loved to see the India cricket team in action in Pakistan for the first time in 15 years, but we understand the BCCI’s position. Like the PCB, the BCCI also requires government approval and clearance before crossing borders. I now look forward to continuing our discussions and deliberations with the ACC and Sri Lanka Cricket to iron out a few minor operational and logistical details so that we can launch our event planning and preparations.”

The 2023 edition will have India, Pakistan and Nepal in one group, and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in another group, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final. Matches will be played in the 50-over format as preparation for the ODI World Cup in India in October-November. Sri Lanka are the defending champions, though the 2022 event was played in the 20-over format. The last 50-over Asia Cup was played in 2018 in the UAE, where India beat Bangladesh in a thrilling final.

Sethi said in the past 15 months, the PCB had delivered high-profile bilateral series as well as two immensely successful Pakistan Super League events in which some of the world’s leading cricketers participated and enjoyed Pakistan’s outstanding arrangements and unprecedented hospitality. “We look forward to providing similar experience to the participating sides in the ACC Asia Cup, which will be a prelude to the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February-March 2025. I now look forward to continuing our discussions and deliberations with the ACC and Sri Lanka Cricket to iron out a few minor operational and logistical details so that we can launch our event planning and preparations. I want to assure the ACC, its commercial partners, participating countries, and the cricket fans in Pakistan and Sri Lanka that the PCB, as event hosts, will not leave any stone unturned in the successful delivery of the event that is so very critical to the sides featuring in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in October-November in India. I appreciate the efforts of ACC President Jay Shah to strengthen the council so that we can collectively continue to protect each other’s interests and also provide opportunities and platforms to emerging Asian nations,” he concluded.