‘India matches at Asia Cup likely at neutral venue’

KARACHI: The PCB has proposed that India can play its Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue while Pakistan and other competing teams play in the host country, its chief Najam Sethi revealed on Friday.

Sethi said they have sent a proposal to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had refused to travel to Pakistan due to political tension between the two nations and demanded the shifting of the continental tournament to a neutral venue.

“We have decided on this hybrid model that Pakistan plays its Asia Cup matches at home and India its matches at a neutral venue and that is our proposal to the Asian Cricket Council,” said Sethi, who took over as the PCB chairman from former cricketer Ramiz Raja, during a press conference.

The Asia Cup, involving six teams, will be played from September 2 to 17, though the exact schedule of matches is yet to be announced due to uncertainty over the venue.

Besides Pakistan and India, the other competing countries are Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and one team which will emerge from the ACC qualifiers.

The qualifying tournament is under way in Nepal. Sethi indicated the public mood in his country is that Pakistan should play cricket with India on level terms.

“Our government has imposed no restrictions about playing against India. But I can say right now that public mood is, we are not needy and we can stand on our own feet financially and we want to play cricket with India honourably. We are also negotiating with the ACC,” Sethi said.