Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if stripped of hosting rights

E-Paper | October 01, 2026

Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if stripped of hosting rights

Kashif Abbasi Published December 3, 2022

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan may pull out of the 2023 Asia Cup if the country is stripped of the tournament’s hosting rights, its cricket chief Ramiz Raja said on Friday.

Doubts were raised over Pakistan’s status as the continental competition’s hosts after Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council, claimed the tournament will be held at a neutral because India couldn’t travel to Pakistan.

Pakistan had responded to the statement threatening they would pull out of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, which is to be staged in India.

While talking to reporters on the sidelines of the first Test between Pakistan and England here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz indicated the team may not be seen in action at the Asia Cup as well.

“If the venue is shifted out of Pakistan, we might not participate,” he said. “We understand if India can’t come due to political issues, it is their right.”

Ramiz suggested Pakistan would not mind hosting an Asia Cup which doesn’t include their archrivals. The PCB chief was confident the remaining top sides of the region will be comfortable with touring Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2022

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Kashif Ali Abbasi is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with 17 years of experience in journalism. He covers sports, the education sector, and civic issues. He can be found on X at @AbbasiKashif833.

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Faisal

Dec 03, 2022 08:15am

If that happens, Asia Cup will basically become IPL

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Kate Angel Dinara

Dec 03, 2022 10:49am

Then surely u are not going to play next Asia cup....

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Gulam ali

Dec 03, 2022 10:54am

Control the terrorist attacks first. India is no fool to play the game btween the bullets.

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John the Baptist

Dec 03, 2022 10:54am

"India couldn’t travel to Pakistan." With very good cause! If Pakistanis aren't safe in Pakistan due to TTP and other "brothers" how would Hindu Indians be?

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Anjum Pervez

Dec 03, 2022 11:04am

India, a big country with a small heart.

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D-comp

Dec 03, 2022 11:09am

Well said Raja, beggars have become choosers again.

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Ali

Dec 03, 2022 11:16am

Any nation with an iota of self esteem would not tolerate India’s stance. For too long we have tolerated this non sense; we must respond in kind. A World Cup without Pak / India game is not worth watching ; it will hit India monetarily and thats the language they understand.

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INDIAN DALIT DELTA

Dec 03, 2022 11:16am

Good move…someone has to square up to childish behaviour such as that of BCCI!!!

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DO MORE

Dec 03, 2022 11:33am

Pakistan 'might' not participate. Doesn't sound so convincing.

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Aadi

Dec 03, 2022 11:36am

@Anjum Pervez, Pakistanis have big heart which is not fit for human body. Heart also should be in correct shape else some bacterias may infect it

Recommend 0

Naeem

Dec 03, 2022 11:42am

@Kate Angel Dinara, Asia cup future tournaments will not be happen at all if Pakistan is not there, simple as that.

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Naeem

Dec 03, 2022 11:49am

Don't understand how Pakistani players be safe in India considering BJP's fanatics intolerance against their own Indian Muslims in last few years. It will be understandable that these two countries can not send their players to each other and therefore should not host multination tournaments.

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Ghulam

Dec 03, 2022 11:53am

@Gulam ali, There is religious discrimination in India. Can you control that.

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Syed (UK)

Dec 03, 2022 11:55am

Fair and BCCI should be sued for loss of income from media rights etc. Enough is enough

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Overseas

Dec 03, 2022 11:58am

An Asia cup without India! I like the sound of it

Recommend 0

Galang

Dec 03, 2022 01:03pm

All these posturing counts for nothing....people won't notice or care whether you are there or not

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Dr John Sutton

Dec 03, 2022 01:15pm

@Gulam ali, … there are more bullets flying around in India than in Pakistan … stop fooling the world that India is democratic and not Fascist.

Recommend 0

Dec 03, 2022 03:04pm

Good riddance

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Akram

Dec 03, 2022 03:06pm

the tournament should be held in Pakistan, if india can't come that is there internal issue. The invite is there.

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Alexa

Dec 03, 2022 03:14pm

First step in threatening is to be categorical. If you say Pakistan `may' pull out, you are admitting it is an empty threat; so, why make it? Ah, it is for the consumption of local audience! Ok ok

Recommend 0

Ijaz Durrani

Dec 03, 2022 03:59pm

Who cares ??

Recommend 0

Dec 03, 2022 04:00pm

India will not come to Pakistan as this would go against their isolation plans which is not working as other countries have started touring. Pakistan will go running and paly Asia cup in Dubai and they will also play in India. I have said from the start Pakistan should not play in Asia cup if it's not played in pak and definitely boycott the world cup in India

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Dec 03, 2022 04:20pm

Now stick to your guns and don't fumble when it matters most.

Recommend 0

Baba

Dec 03, 2022 04:58pm

@Gulam ali, Like India is controlling fascist Hindus in BJP and Shivsena

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Zahid

Dec 03, 2022 05:34pm

@Gulam ali, The Indians should stop their own terrorist acts on Muslims. The Indian Government with Modi is encouraging these Heinous crimes.

Recommend 0

Dec 03, 2022 07:07pm

Raja seems to be hanging on to last straws. It looks like a decision has been made.

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Uncle Talking

Dec 03, 2022 07:19pm

@DO MORE, Good Catch :)

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M. Siddique

Dec 03, 2022 07:24pm

@Gulam ali, Are you out of your mind. Lately England is playing in Pakistan how many bullets have you seen flying around?

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Eternal_Dharma

Dec 03, 2022 07:54pm

Good riddance

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Veeran

Dec 03, 2022 08:42pm

England Players will never be a target. Nation controlling power authorities are sitting in England

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Nadir

Dec 03, 2022 08:58pm

@John the Baptist, We believe Indians would be much safer than Pakistanis when it's comes to any aggression by TTP. How come sponsors be attacked?

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Pak Patriot

Dec 03, 2022 09:03pm

@Gulam ali, ....Yeah Right !!! Forgot India is a First World Country, Go build some Toilet's for your people.

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Common Man

Dec 03, 2022 09:48pm

This is so hypocritical on India's part; the country is the hotbed of terrorism and persecution of minorities, and yet continues to sermonize others.

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Punisher

Dec 03, 2022 11:28pm

Good riddance.

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Izhar Fatima

Dec 03, 2022 11:56pm

PCB must do that as Pakistani Cricket team is a key player in international events there would be no spice and charm left without them in the event.

Recommend 0

AzaadZAK

Dec 04, 2022 01:31am

@Zahid, nothing to do with cricket. And none of.your business.

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AzaadZAK

Dec 04, 2022 01:32am

@M. Siddique, your pitches are of zero quality. Not fit enough to play.

Recommend 0

Dr Dummy

Dec 04, 2022 02:09am

@Syed (UK), And call it climate change.

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Vinay

Dec 04, 2022 03:36am

I hate to say, but the daily TTP attacks inside Pakistan make it seem quite a dangerous place to tour. TTP has basically declared war on Pakistan at this point, and this fact is not lost on world community.

Recommend 0

Dec 04, 2022 07:19am

I like how ramiz raja is standing up to bcci and icc. Pakistan has all major cricket nations playing in Pakistan if India has problem coming then Pakistan too shouldn’t visit India in WC and icc should respect that. ICC and BCCi make money off of Pakistan and india the rest of nations don’t generate any money for icc .

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STRAIGHTFORWARD

Dec 04, 2022 07:31am

You can do that but what about World Cup 2023 because there’s every possibility India May refuse entry visa to Pakistani players and other cricket official

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The Man Who Knew Too Much

Dec 04, 2022 07:36am

Our loss, then.

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The Man Who Knew Too Much

Dec 04, 2022 07:37am

@Anjum Pervez, Does not matter the size of the heart as they have the biggest purse.

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Uyghur Ahmadi

Dec 04, 2022 08:01am

Please pull out

Recommend 0

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