File photo of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi.© AFP
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have been in discussions with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) over an appropriate model for the Asia Cup which is to be held this year in Pakistan. After the BCCI confirmed its reluctance to to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the continental event, a ‘hybrid model’ has been talked about in the media. In a statement on Friday, the PCB confirmed that the ‘hybrid model’ is presently under discussion, no talk has taken place to replicate the same model in the World Cup which is to take place in India later this year.
Earlier, some reports emerged quoting the ICC General Manager Wasim Khan, suggesting Pakistan are thinking about ‘not playing their World Cup matches in India’ as the BCCI isn’t sending its team to Pakistan for the Asia Cup. However, the Pakistan board has falsified the claims.
In a statement, the PCB worte: “This proposal – to play India’s matches at a neutral venue and the rest in Pakistan – is under discussions within the ACC.
“At no stage during Thursday’s media interaction, did I give any reference to the ICC or made any remarks on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is scheduled in October. This matter has not been mooted or discussed at any ICC forum so far.
“In this background, the PCB is disappointed that a leading English language newspaper has misquoted, misinterpreted and misrepresented Mr Sethi’s comments and gave the impression that PCB’s hybrid model was presented and discussed at the ICC, which is factually incorrect. At this stage, the PCB is only in discussions with the ACC over the hosting of the ACC Asia Cup and no discussions regarding the World Cup have taken place with the ICC.
“This is not to say that the hybrid model will not be advocated at the proper ICC forum at the right time.”
Towards the end of the statement, the PCB did confirm that although no ‘hybrid model’ has been discussed over the ODI World Cup in India at present, it might be brought to the table at a later time.
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