KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has backed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) current stance over the Asia Cup but has also called for the matter to be dealt with harmony between all parties involved.

The PCB’s interim Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi met the prime minister — who is also the board’s patron — on Wednesday and briefed the premier about the ‘hybrid model’, which the board believes is the solution to the ongoing deadlock between itself and its Indian counterpart over the Asia Cup.

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) having refused to send their cricket team to Pakistan — the rightful hosts of the Asia Cup — the model was proposed to the Asian Cricket Council as a middle-way to keep the tournament alive.

The model would see Pakistan host the matches not involving India before the competition moves to a neutral venue.

While the BCCI, led by secretary Jay Shah — who is also the ACC president — has unofficially rejected the model, the ACC is yet to hold it executive council’s meeting, which would make a final decision over the fate of the Asia Cup with just around two more months to go before it starts.

Reportedly, Shah prefers the tournament to be held entirely out of Pakistan, preferably Sri Lanka. If that happens, the PCB may well boycott the tournament.

During his meeting with Sethi, Dawn understands, the prime minister was happy with how the PCB chief has handled the issue. The premier, however, asked Sethi to avoid confrontation with the BCCI but assured his backing if Sethi is forced to take a strong step.

In case the model is rejected by the ACC, the PCB is expected to not only withdraw the national side from the tournament but there is also a chance that it will boycott the World Cup, which is set to be held in India in October-November.

Sethi, though, was told that the government will guide the PCB over the 50-over showpiece “closer to time”, sources told Dawn.

While the BCCI’s stance is rigid, sources said that there have been “encouraging signs” as other boards “have no problems” playing the Asia Cup in Pakistan“.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Accruing more debt
Updated 28 Sep, 2023

Accruing more debt

We are in midst of the worst, longest economic crisis because of lavish lifestyles of powerful interests.
Israeli normalisation
28 Sep, 2023

Israeli normalisation

OVER the past few weeks, there have been many reports prophesising the impending normalisation of ties between Saudi...
Kandhkot tragedy
28 Sep, 2023

Kandhkot tragedy

THE tragic incident that unfolded yesterday in Sindh’s Kandhkot tehsil, leading to the deaths of at least nine...
More desecration
Updated 27 Sep, 2023

More desecration

Attacks on the Islamic faith are not motivated by an attachment to free speech but by raw hatred.
Worrying remarks
27 Sep, 2023

Worrying remarks

THESE are ominous words from Gwadar. Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, chairman of the Gwadar Haq Do Tehreek, has warned ...
Justice or vendetta?
Updated 27 Sep, 2023

Justice or vendetta?

ONE wonders whether all pretence of the state as a democracy has been whittled down to a point where it has simply...