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PCB says Pakistan to pull out of 2023 World Cup if Asia Cup shifts

Last updated on: October 19, 2022 17:01 IST

IMAGE: PCB Head Ramiz will not take the shifting of the Asia Cup venue lightly. Photograph: ANI Photo

Shifting the 2023 Asia Cup out of Pakistan because of India's refusal to tour the country may prompt a similar tit-for-tat reaction from the Pakistan Cricket Board, the PCB said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, secretary of the BCCI Jay Shah, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), said India would not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup and that the tournament itself would be shifted to a neutral venue.

 

The PCB said Shah's "unilaterally" made statement was issued "without any thoughts towards the long-term consequences and implications".

,p>"The overall impact of such statements have the potential to split the Asian and international cricketing communities, and can impact Pakistan's visit to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and future ICC events in India in the 2024-2031 cycle," it said in a statement.

The ACC, which runs the Asia Cup, and tournament host PCB were not aware of any discussion regarding the rescheduling of the tournament, the Pakistan board said.

"The PCB has to date not received any official communication from the ACC, on the statement of the ACC President," it said.

PCB press release

IMAGE: Press release issued by the PCB in response to the ACC president's statement. Photograph: PCB Twitter

"As such, the PCB has written to the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting of its Board as soon as practically possible, on this important and sensitive matter,"

Thanks to their soured political relations, bilateral cricket remains suspended between India and Pakistan who play each other only in multi-team tournaments. The arch-rivals are set to clash in a sold-out T20 World Cup blockbuster in Melbourne on Sunday.

Source: REUTERS
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