If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not permit Men in Blue to compete in the Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan threatened to withdraw from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which is set to be held in India later this year. The Men in Green prefer to stage their World Cup games in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, according to a source.
The World Cup 2023 is expected to occur this year in October or November. The specific timetable has not yet been made public by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Yes, we are considering not going to India for World Cup matches if BCCI doesn't send their squad to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, a PCB source told ANI. We prefer to compete in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh rather than India as the venue for our matches.
A few days ago, word came through from a source that India will play their Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue and will not travel to Pakistan. If India and Pakistan reach the final, it will also play at a neutral venue. Pakistan, according to a source, will not come to India for the World Cup and they want their matches to be hosted by Bangladesh or Sri Lanka.
Additionally, it was previously reported that Bangladesh rather than India, the tournament's initial host, could be the location for Pakistan's matches at the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Bangladesh has been suggested as the neutral site because of its proximity to India in discussions that could result in Pakistan moving their events there.
Pakistan is the original host of the Asia Cup this year, but India is likely to play their matches at a neutral site, so a hybrid model is being considered as a potential remedy.
The concept was hatched during a board conference in Dubai where members of the two boards were discussing Pakistan's upcoming 50-over World Cup appearance and India's participation in the upcoming Asia Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has noted that India's absence from the Asia Cup may have an effect on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will also be held in Pakistan, even though it has only been mentioned as an option and no formal discussions have taken place on the topic.
India and Pakistan are paired with a qualifier for the six-nation Asia Cup, which will be contested in a 50-over format in the first half of September this year. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are in the other group.
The 2023 Asia Cup will be held in a "neutral" location, which caught the PCB off guard last October. The PCB, then led by Ramiz Raja, quickly replied that Pakistan will withdraw from the competition if it is held outside of the country.
The Asia Cup would be played at a neutral location, which would be determined in the second round of the Executive Board meeting of ACC members, according to Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairperson Jay Shah, who stated last year that India would not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup due to security concerns.