New Delhi: Pakistan is considering not participating in 2023 One-Day-International World Cup in India, in reaction to BCCI secretary Jay Shah's huge Asia Cup 2023 call after the cricket governing body's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, PTI reported. Jay Shah, in an informal gathering of reporters, stated that "India will play the Asia Cup 2023 at a neutral venue," making it clear that Rohit Sharma & Co. won't be traveling to Pakistan for the tournament.
"The Asia Cup 2023 will be held at a neutral venue," Shah told reporters following BCCI's 91st Annual general Meeting in Mumbai. "I am saying this as ACC President. We [India] can't go there [to Pakistan], they can't come here. In the past also, Asia Cup has been played at a neutral venue."
Reacting strongly to Shah's stern Asia Cup 2023 call, Pakistan reportedly is all set to take a harsh call.
"The PCB is now prepared to take hard decisions and play hard ball because it is also aware that the ICC and ACC events will have to face commercial liabilities and losses if Pakistan does not play India in these multi-team events," a senior PCB source told PTI.
As per the PTI report, PCB declined to give an official reaction to Shah's statement.
"We have nothing to say at the moment but yes we will look at things and take up this matter at appropriate forums like the ICC board meeting in Melbourne next month," a spokesperson told PTI.
"The PCB officials are surprised at the timing of Jay Shah’s statement because there is still nearly a year to go before the Asia Cup is held in Pakistan in September 2023," one insider told PTI.
"The PCB is wondering in what capacity has Jay Shah given the statement that the ACC will look to relocate the Asia Cup to UAE out of Pakistan because the hosting rights were awarded by the executive board of the ACC not the President," the PCB source said.
The PCB source told PTI that next month Ramiz Raja will demand an emergency meeting of the ACC board in Melbourne to discuss Shah's statement.
The insider also told PTI that PCB had decided to look at several options and would not accept any disruption to its hosting rights.
"One option under consideration will be to pull out of the ACC as the PCB believes the ACC was formed to promote and develop cricket in the region and forge unity among the member nations. But the President of the ACC is going to give statements like these, there is no use for Pakistan to remain in the body," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)