We can also have security concerns over sending Pakistan to India for World Cup: PCB Chairman Najam Sethi

The logjam on the decision of venue for the Asia Cup 2023 is yet to get a solution. The Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in September this year but Jay Shah, who is also the ACC chairman, announced in October 2022 that India will not travel to Pakistan who have the hosting rights of the tournament. However, no new host has been named for the tournament. PCB chairman Najam Sethi gave an update and said that the issue will be raised at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings scheduled from March 18 to March 20 in Dubai.

Sethi raised questions on India's concerns regarding security in Pakistan as there are many teams travelling to the country.

"I have kept my options open because when all teams are coming to Pakistan and have no issues with security. Then why is India worried about security? In the same way, we can also have security concerns over sending our team to India for the World Cup and I will be bringing this to the table at the coming meetings," Najam Sethi said in a press conference.

"Obviously we don’t support India's



stance because we want to hold the Asia Cup and remember it is not just about the Asia Cup and World Cup it is also about the Champions Trophy in 2025 in Pakistan.

"I had sought advice from the government and the situation is that we have to go by what our patron-in-chief tells us to do. If he says go and play in World Cup even if India doesn’t come for Asia Cup, what can we do? If he says don’t go it is a similar situation for us," he added.

In the first formal meeting between BCCI secretary Jay Shah and PCB chairman Najam Sethi held in Bahrain on February 4, the discussion regarding the venue of Asia Cup 2023 took place but the final decision was withheld. Addressing the media on Thursday, Sethi said more discussions on the hosting of the Asia Cup ODI tournament will be held next month on the sidelines of an ICC meeting as the matter "remained unresolved".

"What can I say about what happened in the Asian Cricket Council board meeting? There was no resolution," Sethi had told reporters when asked if Pakistan will host the tournament in September.