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