“Najam Sethi Reveals Plans for Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup: Neutral Venues vs. India”

In order to foster trust between Pakistan and India, the PCB has been advised to host the upcoming Asia Cup in 2023 at a neutral location and visit the neighboring country for the ODI World Cup later this year in an effort to break the ice between the two countries, according to PCB chief Najam Sethi.

Since 2012–2013, India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket, and the last time India visited Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup. The bilateral series between the two teams was then put on hold by the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks. It was eventually restarted in 2004. Since then, the two teams have only participated in ACC events and ICC competitions.

Due to Pakistan’s refusal to visit India due to security reasons in 2018, the BCCI decided to host the event in the UAE instead of India, which was supposed to host the Asia Cup in ODI format. This year, Pakistan will host the Asia Cup, and the BCCI has announced that the Indian squad would not visit Pakistan. A similar issue has occurred.

So, PCB has suggested a hybrid concept to the ACC, according to Sethi, in which Pakistan and other teams play in Pakistan while India plays its Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue.

 

“We have decided on this hybrid model that Pakistan plays its Asia Cup matches at home and India their matches at a neutral venue and that is our proposal to the Asian Cricket Council,” said Sethi to Cricket Pakistan.

According to Sethi, the general opinion in Pakistan is that they should play cricket matches against India on an even playing field.

“Our government has imposed no restrictions about playing against India. But I can say right now that public mood is, we are not needy and we can stand on our own feet financially and we want to play cricket with India honorably. We are also negotiating with the ACC,” he said.

If The Ice Keeps Melting, May Be India Will Come To Pakistan For ICC Champions Trophy In 2025: Najam Sethi

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council meeting that will take place in Goa, India, next month, according to Sethi, will assist to defrost relations between the two nations, and perhaps India will visit Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.

“We have been told that, maybe, the ice will keep on melting. If this happens when the Champions Trophy is held in Pakistan in 2025, India would consider playing in Pakistan. Hence, we are being advised to play the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and also go to India for the World Cup,” he revealed.