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The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have supported the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the matter of moving this year's Asia Cup tournament out of Pakistan.
As per Geo News, both countries are willing to host the continental cricketing affair in case it is moved out of Pakistan. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president Jay Shah last year announced that the 2023 edition of the tournament will be held at a neutral venue, instead of Pakistan. If Pakistan decides to not participate in the Asia Cup, ACC could consider replacing them with United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the tournament. Jay Shah, the current ACC president and secretary of BCCI, has also assured broadcasters that losses suffered due to absence of Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023 will be compensated during a series involving India in future. BCCI has been asked by the Centre to adopt a strict stance on the matter during the next ACC meeting. The governing body of cricket in India is also unlikely to accept the hybrid model proposed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the Asia Cup, under which India would have played its matches at a neutral venue. Earlier, Najam Sethi, the chairperson of the PCB Management Committee, called for a rational approach to solve the crisis looming over the country's hosting of the Asia Cup and its participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup later this year, which will be held in India. Talking to the media at the occasion of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) meeting, Sethi said that Pakistan's chances to travel to India for 50-over World Cup are low. "In case of India's refusal to travel to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, chances are there that the Pakistan government would not allow the Men in Green to cross the borders for their World Cup participation. In that case, cricket will be the ultimate sufferer," Sethi said. "There should be a middle way to solve problems that surely threaten the smooth hosting of ICC and ACC events. In case of India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, the government will not allow us to travel to India to figure in the World Cup matches," he added. (ANI)
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